장희선 Jang Hee-sun , 김민경 Kim Min-kyoung , 신채원 Shin Chae-won , 이훈 Lee Hoon
DOI:10.21581/jts.2026.2.38.1.27 Vol.38(No.1) 27-51, 2026
Abstract
Sustainability has emerged as a critical issue in tourism destination management. This study seeks to identify a starting point for realizing sustainable tourism in Jeju Island by examining how local residents and tourists perceive the destination from an environmental psychology perspective. To achieve this objective, two analyses were conducted. First, the image of Jeju Island as perceived by local residents and tourists was identified using the word association technique. Second, the relationships between the six image dimensions derived from each group and key environmental psychological variables―environmental cognition, responsibility awareness, and pro-environmental behavior―were analyzed to determine how image perceptions are associated with environmental awareness and behavioral intentions. The first analysis yielded six image dimensions: emotional impression, regional identity, utilitarian function, environmental orientation, nature orientation, and governance. The second analysis revealed that both groups exhibited a positive association between environmental orientation and pro-environmental behavior. However, when Jeju Island was perceived primarily through a governance-oriented lens (e.g., social issues and management systems), local residents showed a positive association with pro-environmental behavior, whereas tourists demonstrated a negative association. Based on these findings, the study offers practical implications for advancing sustainable tourism development in Jeju Island. The primary academic contribution lies in its comprehensive analysis of destination image across emotional, affective, and cognitive dimensions. Furthermore, by integrating environmental psychological variables, the study extends the literature by demonstrating how destination image can influence environmental responsibility awareness and pro-environmental behavior.
Key Words
Word Association Technique, Tourist Destination Image, Environmental Psychology, Environmental Cognition, Responsibility Awareness, Pro-environmental Behavior, Jeju Island, 단어연상기법, 관광지 이미지, 환경심리학, 환경인지, 책임 인식, 친환경 행동, 제주도