Tourism in South Korea - Case Study Example

South Korea Student’s Name University Affiliation 1. Introduction South Korea is a nation that attracts millions of tourists from across the globe, particularly during autumn and spring because of its vast heritage sites and unique natural environment. The popularity of its immense tourist-attraction sites can be attested by the number of foreign tourists that stream the country during times of favorable weather conditions. For instance, in the year 2012, the nation welcomed close to 11.1 million foreign tourists. The statistics positioned the nation as the 20th most visited country in the world. The Korean culture is one of the aspects that attract tourists. Unlike many tourist destinations across the globe, South Korea boasts numerous cultural heritage sites, such as the Changdeok Palace, Miryang Maneosa and Samhwasa Temple. The Changdeok Palace is a unique feature, which attracts millions of tourists to the country because it is a cultural heritage. The Changdeok palace is important because it is an outstanding demonstration of East Asian palace architecture, garden designing, Confucianism and traditional pungsu principles. In addition, it is thought that for many centuries, the Changdeok palace had immense influence on development of Korean architecture, landscape planning and garden design. The Changdeok palace is a representation of Korean traditions and culture, which have been passed down for many generations. 2. Provide a political map of the destination you have chosen. A vibrant, democratic political environment characterizes South Korea. Since embracing democracy in 1987, the nation has maintained a healthy political landscape. Just like major democracies of the world, political power in South Korea is shared between the executive, legislature and judiciary. For many years, South Korea has enjoyed a stable political environment, which has made it possible for the nation to form workable relations with major world economies. The president, who is the chief of state and commander in chief of armed forces, is picked out via popular vote for a five-year term. The legislature is unicameral and it comprises of 299 seats shared between political parties based on their percentage of vote. The political sphere of the nation is characterized by a multi-party system with the major parties being the Grand National Party (GNP), Democratic Labor Party (DLP) and Millennium Democratic Party (MDP). 3. For the destination you have chosen, discuss two major features of the natural environment that would be interesting to tourists. Your discussion must show how tourists would experience these natural features. The Halla Mountain is one of the natural features that would interest tourists in the nation. The mountain is a unique and interesting product of nature because it is the highest mountain in Korea. It is situated in Jeju Island and it is an iconic landmark and a home to almost 4,000 animal species. The vast number of fauna in the region provides tourists an opportunity to see nature’s beauty in different animal species. Although the weather can be daunting, tourists can enjoy hiking as one of the major tourist activities. The Halla Mountain is renowned as tourists’ favorite place for hiking. In fact, hiking trails have been exquisitely developed due to intense hiking activities. The Seongsan iichungbong is another unique natural feature that is known to attract thousands of tourists across the globe. The natural feature is commonly known as Korea’s ‘sunrise peak’. The natural feature is believed to be a 5,000-year-old volcanic crater. The feature has been recognized as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites because of its exceptional view of sunrise. The feature normally attracts thousands of tourists who are interested in photography and watching the sun rising in a unique manner every morning. It is a magnet for both local and international photographers (Yu, 2011p. 856). 4. Describe the kind of society the tourists would find at the destination you have chosen. Your description must show the ways in which tourists would become aware of the cultural features of the society. Tourists would expect to find a unique society in South Korea with rich traditional Asian culture. Notably, Korea is widely known to be the only country that has successfully maintained its traditions and culture despite attempted influence from other cultures. Immediately when a tourist arrives at the destination, a different environment, typified by exceptional architectural designs, new ways of depicting respect, greetings and dress cord, will greet the individual. Most of the cultural features of the country would be made manifest to the tourist as interaction with locals continue. It is vital to remember that tourists have a chance to know and understand cultural and traditions of South Korea by engaging in numerous cultural festivals and traditional music concerts conducted at Seoul’s palaces. Numerous local Korean districts hold annual festivals, such as the Cheongdo bullfighting festival and the Boryeong mud festival. It is during such festivals and music concerts that tourists get to understand various elements of Korean culture and traditions. 5. Describe two major heritage resources of the destination you have chosen and show how these resources help tourists to understand the history of the destination. Changdeok palace comprises of countless heritage resources. However, the most important ones are the Donhwamun Gate and the Huwon. The Donhwamun Gate is a unique heritage resource of the Changdeok palace because it demonstrates many architectural elements based on Confucian ideology. The architectural design of the gate features both simplicity and frugality. Although the gate had been burned down during Japanese invasion of 1592, it was restored in 1608 (Kim, 2007 p. 322). The simplistic and frugal nature of the gate, together with Confucian ideas engrained in its architectural style helps to inform tourists of how leadership was perceived in the Korean culture. The Huwon or rear garden is another heritage resource within the Changdeok palace. The garden is placed on a 78-acre piece of land and was originally created for use by royal family and other palace women. The garden assists the tourists to understand that Korean culture and traditions was closely intertwined with nature. The reason is that the garden is believed to host a stunning 26,000 specimens of different species of trees. Surprisingly, some of the trees in the garden are more than 300 years old. The garden had many names and was thought to be for private use of the King, meaning that visitors were never allowed to enter. The site shows that Koreans have had a historic passion for gardening. The garden includes pavilions, landscaped ponds, lotus pond, trees and flowers. 6. Explain how the destination you have chosen became a tourist destination. The Changdeok or Changdeokgung palace became a major tourist destination, especially following UNESCO’s recognition as one of the World Heritage Sites in 1997. Many potential tourists across the globe became interested in the destination after the UNESCO committee described it as an exceptional example of Far Eastern palace architecture and garden design. The site was seen as unique because its buildings were integrated and harmonized with natural environment. In addition, an outstanding strategy was applied in creating a topography, which retained indigenous tree cover. The destination also became vastly recognized after portions of the palace was used to stage the popular Korean drama entitled Dae Jang Geum. Partly, the destination was popularized owing to governmental advertisements and recommendations from numerous tourist agents within and outside the country (Kim, 2007 p. 317). 7. Explain how the following factors influence tourists to visit the destination you have chosen. a. Motivation This is a notable tool, which greatly influences tourists to visit the destination. Some of the motivating factors include listing of the destination as world heritage site, low-cost associated with destination, enhanced security and its rich socio-cultural characteristics. Many visitors are also motivated by the fact that they have a perfect opportunity to witness numerous instances where nature and culture have been successfully integrated using landscapes, gardening and various architectural designs. Tourists will have a first-hand experience on how culture can transform various social, economic and religious elements in human life. b. ‘push’ factors (using the theory provided in your textbook) Push factors are those that influence international tourists to leave their countries and visit the destination. In many parts of the world, numerous social, political and economic problems push people to consider taking a holiday in a destination that would guarantee calm, peace and introduce new ideologies and lessons. Many people want to spend their holidays in unique places that would fill their memory with unforgettable experiences. c. ‘Pull’ factors Whereas push factors are concerned with driving people out of their original countries, the pull factors dictate where the travelers will end up. Positive aspects associated with the Changdeok palace including outstanding architectural designs, cultural elements, cohesion between culture and nature and availability of tourist support greatly assist. Thousands of local and international tourists find themselves choosing the Changdeok palace as their end point because they want to be associated with great reputation, culture and experiences within the cultural resource. 7. Describe three examples of tourism merchandise (excluding postcards) tourists can buy at the destination you have chosen to remind them, when they return home, of their visit to that destination. One of the most notable tourist merchandise is clothes. Clothes sold within the destination are designed based on Asian styles. Clothes design depicts various elements of Asian traditional and culture that tourists will take to their home countries. Jewelry is the second tourist merchandise that can be bought within the destination. Just like clothes, jewelry is uniquely designed to exhibit various Korean cultural elements. In some places, tourists get a chance to purchase custom-made jewelry that will greatly assist in preserving tourism experiences. Lastly, traditional souvenirs are available for tourists, especially in markets adjacent to the tourist destination. One can easily access historical artifacts from the streets of Korea. 8. Discuss the impacts tourism has had on the lives of the host society at the destination you have chosen. In the recent past, tourism in South Korea has been associated with an influx of tourists, which has led to shortage of accommodation. In the event, local tourists have been forced to experience higher hotel and accommodation rates. The transport sector was also adversely affected because tourist capacity had increased immensely. On the other hand, tourism has been a great boost for various economic activities across the country. Business has been improved because of higher tourist spending, especially in luxury goods stores and beauty specialist stores. The business community have been forced to change their business plans to accommodate tourist needs. For instance, the government altered visa regulations and stimulated business operators to offer effective communication services and convenient payment system to inbound tourists (Jamal, 2009 p. 454). Interaction with tourists has had a great effect in transforming various cultural aspects of people in South Korea. It can be noted that many people have accepted various elements of Western and Chinese culture, including language, methods of interaction, cuisines, way of dressing and products. 9. Describe the kinds of accommodation available for tourists who visit the destination you have chosen. Visitors at Changdeok palace can enjoy a variety of accommodation facilities situated around the site. Numerous hotels are located around the Changdeok palace. Some of them include noble hotel, hotel icon, ibis ambassador Seoul insadong, hotel biz jongno insadong, cats hotel, hotel crown insadong, Fraser suites insadong, hotel sunbee, hotel Amare and Saerim hotel. There are also numerous spas situated close to the Changdeok palace, which include Dragon Hill Spa and Yongsan Dragon Hill Spa. In addition, tourists can relish a variety of restaurants and cafes including the Myong-Dong Gyoja. 11. Explain the kinds of transport tourists would use in order to visit the destination you have chosen. This includes the transport they use to come to the destination and the transport they use while they are at the destination. Many international tourists enter the country using the Incheon International Airport, which was recognized as the best airport in the world in 2006. Many domestic tourists make use of extensive road and rail network in the country to move from one destination to another. Within the Changdeok palace, there is extensive road network, which ensures that all visitors travel comfortably. There is a bus station at the palace that is commonly used to bring visitors. In addition, bus services are used to take visitors between Huwon and Changdeok palace. Personal cars are also allowed within the facility. However, the use of personal cars is subject to self-car-free policy. Visitors to the tourist destination can also make use of taxi services that are easily available within the environs. Free wheelchairs are also provided to assist in transportation of handicapped visitors. Walking within the facility is a common phenomenon. There are good stone bridges and pathways through the dense woodland and forests that guide tourists as they enjoy the unique experiences at the scenery. 12. Describe the kinds of gastronomic experiences available for tourists who choose the destination about which you are writing. One of the most exhilarating involvements of the Changdeok palace is walking through the facility. One cannot help but be flabbergasted at how nature has perfectly been blended with Korean culture. To begin with, one enters through the gate Donhwamun, which in itself is a masterpiece. Thereafter, the visitor will pass through the stone bridge with guardian animals carved on both its sides. Walking through the dense woodland before suddenly emerging into a placid glade of ancient trees is another stunning experience. As a visitor continues with the walk, he or she will soon discover a hidden or secret garden called the Huwon. At the Huwon, numerous things will fill the visitor with great pleasure. The visitor will have an opportunity to see the exceptional gardens, square lily pond, pavilions, two-storey library and halls. The halls situated around the Huwon include Injeongjeon hall, Seonjeongjeon hall, Huijeongdang hall and the Daejojeon hall. 13. Explain the purpose of promotion of a destination and give two examples of the way your destination is promoted. Promotion is an instrumental tool used to attract potential visitors to a site. Promotion acts as a tool for communicating necessary information including what the visitor will expect, reasons for visiting the site, rates, benefits and necessary arrangements to be made. The government of South Korea promotes its tourism sector by using state agencies. In addition, the government has formulated workable policies, such as easing visa requirements, encouraging business community to adopt new ways of performing transactions and providing better ways of transportation. Changdeok palace is promoted using a variety of ways. The first means of promotion is use of discounts and other benefits. Visitors to the Changdeok palace are normally treated to a 10 percent discount at particular times. In addition, special services are provided, such as free transportation by minibus, reduced entrance fees, lunch and service of a guide. Second, forums have also been used to promote the Changdeok palace (Lee, 2012 p. 34). For instance, a program dubbed the culture communication forum was used in the year 2013 to promote the world heritage site. The forum included international specialists from across the globe who posed at the Changdeok palace as a means of reiterating its importance. Conclusion In conclusion, Korea can be said to be a unique country because of its extremely rich cultural heritage. The fact that Koreans managed to store its culture and traditions in buildings and other structures makes it one of the most looked-for tourist destinations for people who are keen to study ethnography. Some of the ancient sites, such as Changdeok palace, are a rarity because it contains deep-set elements of culture, which are perfectly intertwined with nature. The Changdeok palace depicts countless elements of Korean culture that runs for many centuries. References Jamal, T. (2009). Tourism on organic farms in South Korea: a new form of ecotourism≟. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 17(4), 431-454. Kim, S. S. (2007). Assessing The Economic Value Of A World Heritage Site And Willingness-to-pay Determinants: A Case Of Changdeok Palace. Tourism Management, 28(1), 317-322. Lee, I. S. (2012). Multicultural festivals: a niche tourism product in South Korea. Tourism Review, 67(1), 34-41. Yu, J. (2011). Characteristics Of A Medical Tourism Industry: The Case Of South Korea. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 28(8), 856-872. Read More