Contribution of TV Dramas and Movies in Strengthening Sustainable Tourism

This study aims to (a) identify the relationship between travel motivation and popular media (mainly films or TV programs), (b) examine the relationship between destination images and popular media as an information source, and (c) investigate the influence of popular media on destination's decision-making process. The relationship is focused on three aspects: motivation, destination image, and the decision-making process for tourists. This study employed a self-administered questionnaire survey. The questionnaire was composed of (i) respondents' motivation and general information about their visit to the destination (Jeju Island in Korea), (ii) attributes of the film-induced tourism of their visit to the destination, and (iii) respondents' socio-demographic elements. A correlation analysis and a standard multiple regression analysis were employed. The results discovered that there is a significant relationship (a) between a destination and popular media, (b) between destination image and popular media, and (c) between the decision-making process and popular media. The implications of this study can help destination marketers and managers build competitive strategies using the effective management of film-related tourist attraction sites to increase visitor numbers and ensure that a sustainable long-term relationship is encouraged between destinations and tourists.