Korea has been steadily increasing every year as foreign tourists who visited Korea for the first time in 2012 recorded 10 million. Since Seoul Tourist Police Unit has launched on October 2013 and Incheon/Busan Tourist Police have established on July ...
Korea has been steadily increasing every year as foreign tourists who visited Korea for the first time in 2012 recorded 10 million. Since Seoul Tourist Police Unit has launched on October 2013 and Incheon/Busan Tourist Police have established on July 2014 respectively. Considering the relatively short terms of tourist police activity, the study is to analyze management status and role of tourist police system and to suggest more effective operation strategies for the satisfaction of foreign tourists’ needs. Moreover, the purpose of this study is to discuss the implications and limitations of the role of tourist police officers who are currently serving for foreign tourists. The main results of the research are as following:
Firstly, institutional characteristics of tourist police can be explained by the specialized duty and organizational system. Specialized duty is to provide tourist-oriented particular services to solve tourists’ problems on the site such as guidance, settlement of complaints, interpretation, etc. including locals within the jurisdiction of each tourist police.
Secondly, the job characteristics of tourist police can be summarized as cyclical work, visiting services, and softening of duties.
Lastly, the identity and compensation system can be divided into duty and organizational identity, compensation system, and cooperation system.
According to the response of domestic and foreign tourists against tourist police, domestic people who work in tourism related industry show the negative reaction while foreign tourists regard tourist police as very glad, thankful and essential being.
Tourist police recognize that tourism police play a significant role in improving the image of Korea, promoting publicity, and increasing the number of visitors.