There is an increasing trend in the number of people who are interested in leisure as well as the enjoyment of leisurely activities. Apart from simply enjoying free time, the present generation wants to retain something that is fulfilling and enduring...
There is an increasing trend in the number of people who are interested in leisure as well as the enjoyment of leisurely activities. Apart from simply enjoying free time, the present generation wants to retain something that is fulfilling and enduring during that time.
The trend in tourism is currently shifting from sightseeing-based tourism to experiences-based tourism. In particular, theme parks, as a part of experiences-based tourism, are evolving away from being just a location for fun rides to becoming a place for informing of and enjoying festivals. These theme park festivals are one of the many sources of change in these parks, and they function as a device that presents to a fixed theme an image of ‘festival’, introducing a change toward a new perspective.
The image of a particular tourist destination is an important factor in influencing the tourists’ decision to visit. Thus, it is important for theme parks to construct a long-term objective of image management in order to maintain a positive relationship with the tourist clientele and to develop a distinguished method of attaining a competitive advantage. Because the basic theme of a particular theme park is clear, the park must develop a consistent system and a variety of festivals that focus on the theme park’s unique characteristics, and it must also recognize the necessity of festivals in developing the theme park’s image.
Researches on theme parks as well as festivals have been conducted frequently in the past. However, research on the image of festivals within theme parks is currently underdeveloped. With Everland as the subject, this research attempts to outline the characteristics of the theme park’s image before and after the festival and defines its influence on the tourists’ decision to visit and their level of satisfaction after the visit. In order to fulfill this objective, the research incorporated both documentary research and evidential research. On a theoretical level, the concepts of theme parks, image, visiting motives, and satisfaction were systemized, and the factors of pre- and post-visit impressions and visiting motives were identified. The evidential research portion of the project consisted of a survey of 310 visitors to Everland. With that information, the relationship between pre- and post-visit impressions, visiting motives, and satisfaction levels were used to construct a research model, and five hypotheses were presented. A summary of the research results is as follows:
First, the visiting motives were divided into four factors, extracted from among 18 measured categories, and the motives consist of a cultural incentive, a social incentive, an adventure incentive, and an entertainment incentive. The pre-visit impressions were divided into three factors, extracted from among 20 measured categories, and consist of involvement, ease of use, and amusement. Post-visit impressions were divided into four parts and consist of amusement, procedure and operations, involvement, and ease of use.
Second, differences between the specifics of population statistics and the characteristics of visits showed higher values for females than males in categories of visiting motives and pre- and post-visit impressions. The highest values in social incentives and satisfaction resulted from family or couples’ visits, and the lowest values occurred from group visits, highlighting the influence of companions in visiting motives and satisfaction levels. Those who visited for the first or second time showed a greater attraction toward the adventure incentive than those who visited for the third time or more, while those who visited more than five times showed the greatest values in pre- and post-visit impressions, which correlates to the fact that loyal customers of Everland rated the park highly in terms of pre- and post-visit impressions and satisfaction levels. Those who were aware of the festivals evaluated their pre- and post-visit impressions and satisfaction levels at a higher degree than those who were unaware, underscoring the importance of festival event awareness for visitors.
Third, an evaluation of the hypotheses showed that pre-visit impressions of festival activities influence visiting motives as well as post-visit impressions, and that both pre- and post-visit impressions as well as visiting motives influence satisfaction levels.
In successfully operating a theme park, the visitors’ satisfaction is of the utmost priority. Therefore, the importance of boosting the pre- and post-visit impressions of festival activities must be taken into account, since image affects visiting motives and satisfaction levels. Specifically, because those who were aware of the festivities prior to their visit showed higher levels of satisfaction, timely advertising and marketing is critical. In order to retain customers, efforts must be increased to improve the festivities pre-visit impressions, and to provide a higher level of satisfaction, a strategy must be formulated to improve post-visit impressions. As for the method of improving such image, careful preparations must be made, beginning with the planning stages to program development, production, and progress. A variety of performances and experience programs that correspond with the theme of the festivities must be developed, and all of the amenities for customer comfort during the festivities must be prepared in order to maintain a quality environment for the visitors. Also, in order to enhance the theme park’s image, it is also important to maintain a level of consistency in festival atmosphere, attractions, merchandise, and food service.