The Study of the Destination Image of an Ecotourism Area:A Case in Guandu Nature Park

• Main Authors: Hsiu-Ling Tsai, 蔡秀玲
• Other Authors: Tsung-Chiung Wu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2005
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/11489955923860939145

碩士 === 國立嘉義大學 === 休閒事業管理研究所碩士班 === 92 === The ecotourism is a new main stream of travel market. This research selects the Eco-tourists as the investigation target. On the other hand, destination image is an important basis for the management to make a vital decision. And ecotourism needs special image to maintain its proper operation. Accordingly, it will offer beneficial suggestions to the management. Hence, this research chooses Guandu Nature Park, a well-know eco-tourism site, as the research area. The purpose of this research is to understand the destination image and to study the differences of the destination image among tourists with different socio-demography and traveling characteristics and the relationship among tourists’ destination image, recreation participations, and agreements toward ecotourism behavior guidelines. Study results indicate that the destination image of Guandu Nature Park has three dimensions, including the image of environmental resource, the image of leisure recreation, and the image of geographical landmark. The different socio-demography of tourists such as gender, residence, educational level, occupation and monthly income shows that there are significant differences in dimensions of the destination image. The result of traveling characteristics shows that there are significant difference in dimensions of the destination image among “the purpose of travel”, “the first visit”, “the form of travel”, “ordinarily favored activities”, “whether or not to hear of ecotourism”, and “whether or not to participate in the conservative organization of natural resources.” This research believes that the special images of Guandu Nature Park have been shaped. In addition, there is a significantly positive relation between the destination image, tourists’ recreation participations, and ecotourism guidelines. Above all, tourists who have a profound feeling of the image of environmental resources will choose the acceptable activity locally and also have a high degree of agreement toward behavior guidelines. Finally, this study suggests that Guandu Nature Park should understand the relation between the destination image, tourists’ behavior and their feeling of identification. Then, it should focus on the shape and reinforcement of the destination image in ecotourism.