The Effect of Risk Perception of Island Tourisom on Tourist Attitude, and Participation Intention: Focusing on the Five Major Islands of Boryeong City

Purpose: This study aimed to empirically study the effect of risk perception on island tourism on tourists’ attitudes and intentions to participate. The perception of risk is higher in the island area due to the special environment in which it is separated from the mainland and can only be reached by boat across the sea. There is a need to develop new measurement items suitable for island tourism risk perception due to the special nature of island tourism. Methods: We derived questionnaire items that can measure risk perception factors for island tourism using FGI and Delphi techniques, and conducted a survey targeting potential consumers who are planning a trip to the five major islands of Boryeong City, and a total of 186 questionnaires were used for empirical analysis. Results: As a result of factor analysis, risk perception for island tourism was classified into accident risk, loss risk, physical risk, and performance risk, and tourist attitude, and participation intention were classified as a single dimension. As a result of the regression analysis, it was found that physical risk, and accident risk had a significant effect on the attitude and participation intention toward island tourism. However, loss risk and performance risk did not appear to have a significant effect on attitude and intention to participate. Also it was found that the attitude has a significant effect on participation intention. Conclusion: In the end, it was found that tourists’ perception of risk regarding island tourism made their attitudes toward island tourism negative and lowered their intention to participate. Therefore, advertising and marketing activities that highlight the safety of island tourism are necessary, and there is a need to lower risk perception by providing opportunities such as free island tours through promotions.