Revitalizing Island Tourism in the Digital Transformation Era : Case of Jebudo Island

Abstract

This research aims to employ the focus group interview methodology to extract important insights and policy recommendations for the revitalization of tourism in island regions during the era of significant digital transformation. To achieve this objective, the current study focuses on Jebudo Island, located in Hwaseong-city, Gyeonggi province, as a representative case area and utilizes the findings obtained to identify practical and efficacious viewpoints. The ensuing report highlights the paramount importance and policy recommendations extracted via a focus group interview technique. Initially, considering the prospect of being established as a tourism hub, Jebudo Island has persistently engaged in development and business promotions. However, the island continues to be characterized by an aging tourist destination, emphasizing private facilities, which does not align with the current tourism trend. In light of the ongoing digital transformation, it is imperative that Jebudo Island utilizes its local resources efficiently while adhering to contemporary tourism trends by implementing relevant technologies appropriately. Another noteworthy policy recommendation pertains to the underdevelopment of Jebudo Island, given its remarkable geographical conditions and regional resources. Conventionally, tourism activities were confined to sightseeing, primarily highlighting hardware and natural landscapes. However, recently, such activities have shifted towards experiences and emotions, emphasizing content and engagement. Consequently, the need to develop content using cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, metaverse, and ChatGPT is essential to enhance national awareness. Finally, concerning the island's placeness strategy in conjunction with digital transformation, islands face a daunting challenge of regional extinction, with a more severe decline in population than that of mainland areas. Despite various policy measures to address this issue, no effective exit strategy has emerged thus far. Therefore, it is imperative to devise a strategy centered on the sense of place that aligns with regional characteristics. In particular, engaging the MZ generation, which values novel social values and actively utilizes social media and the internet, could lead to broader engagement across other generations. Moreover, in the process of revitalizing island tourism during the digital transformation era, various stakeholders are intricately interconnected. Hence, it is crucial to utilize different platforms and establish cooperative governance. Furthermore, to create a functional ecosystem, it is crucial to institute policies such as island business schools, forums, and full-time operating organizations to enhance expertise and commercial viability, while fostering sustainable strategic discussions. Notwithstanding, considering that the present study solely examined the case of Jebudo Island in Hwaseong through the focus group interviews in the era of significant digital transformation, it remains uncertain whether the findings can be uniformly applied and extrapolated to other islands. Consequently, further studies are essential to enhance objectivity and empirical validity by broadening the scope of case areas and incorporating stakeholder surveys.