Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the structure of the decision and the importance of the attributes in choosing food-related tour program. Questionnaires were developed in three languages- Japanese, Chinese, and English- given to 300 foreign tourists who have visited Korea in 2002. Statistical data analysis was completed using SPSS Win (ver 11.0) for descriptive analysis and conjoint analysis. The results of this study showed that the 'price' was the most important attribute (35.62%) in choosing a hypothetical food tourism program, followed by 'place' (27.35%), 'time' (26.01%), and 'type of program' (10.22%). With respect to the relative importance values for each attribute by different groups, English- and Chinese-speaking tourists considered 'price' more than other factors, while 'time' was regarded as the most important factor for Japanese tourists. Therefore, it indicated the need to recognize the different needs among tourists and put these factors into consideration in developing the programs.

• Keywords: Korean traditional food; conjoint analysis; tourist preference