Perceptions in International Urban Tourism: An Analysis of Travelers to Seoul, Korea

The study of urban tourism has not received as much attention as the magnitude of the phenomenon would seem to indicate. This study explores visitor perceptions of Seoul, Korea, held by three different nationalities and also by purpose of visit (i.e., pleasure vs. business). Perceptual mapping was utilized to differentiate between preferences shared by the six groups. It was determined that the Japanese business group was much more interested in security-centered and functional attributes of tourism products than either the North American or European business groups or even from within their own national ranks. The adventure and excitement that may come with the first few visits to an unfamiliar place seems to give way with repeat visitation to a focus on features that make the trip safe, productive, and routine. It may also be important to look for cultural differences that may explain why different groups locate on a perceptual map as they do.