PRIORITY RESEARCH FOR REVITALIZATION OF MARINE LEISURE SPORTS BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze development factors and prioritize marine leisure sports in small and medium-sized cities. The research methods used in this study were a Delphi survey and hierarchical analysis. The results were analyzed based on the research methods and procedures, and conclusions were drawn based on the results. First, the top factors for marine leisure sports development in small and medium-sized cities were identified as price, facilities, programs, environment, and human resources. Second, the program factors identified as sub-factors of marine leisure sports development in small and medium-sized cities were identified as diversity, expertise, safety, segmentation, and program development. The price factor included lesson fees, ancillary facility fees, package product development, membership system, and coupon system. The human resources factor included employee friendliness, employee conscientiousness, employee initiative, instructor friendliness, and instructor expertise. The environmental factor included business accessibility, well-organized facilities, accessibility to tourist attractions, cleanliness/hygiene, and convenient public transportation. The facility factor included showers, restrooms, parking, amenities, and equipment replacement.Third, among the factors contributing to the development of marine leisure sports in small and medium-sized cities, safety was the most important program factor, followed by tuition fees for pricing, instructor friendliness for human resources, accessibility to business sites for environmental factors, and equipment replacement for facilities. As this study suggests, the development of marine leisure in small and medium-sized cities requires a stronger focus on securing pricing, facilities, programs, environment, and human resources than in large cities.