AN ANALYSIS OF KOREAN RESIDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD THE IMPACT OF TOURISM

This study investigated Korean residents' attitudes toward the impact of tourism and of the behavior of specific nationality groups in relation to selected demographic characteristics of the respondents. The study was conducted in the following manner: purposes and null hypotheses were formulated; the related literature was reviewed; a questionnaire was developed and distributed to 600 residents in downtown Kyongju City, a cultural center in the south of Korea; and the data were analyzed.;There were no significant differences in residents' overall attitudes toward tourism as related to sex, residency, marital status, occupation, age, and religion. There was a significant difference in residents' overall attitudes toward tourism as related to education levels.;With regard to the behavior of foreign tourists, there was no significant difference in residents' overall attitudes as related to sex, residency, occupation, age and religion. There was a significant difference related to marital status and education levels. Although there was no significant difference in residents' attitudes toward the behavior of Japanese tourists based on selected demographic characteristics respondents express more negative attitudes toward the behavior of Japanese tourists than toward any other group of foreign visitors.;The results of the analysis indicated the residents' overall attitudes toward the impact of tourism and the behavior of foreign tourists were slightly positive.