TAXI TOUR GUIDES AS CULTURE BROKERS ON JEJU ISLAND IN SOUTH KOREA

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the role of taxi tour guides (TTGs) as culture brokers on Jeju Island in South Korea. A qualitative approach via in-depth interviews was utilized to describe domestic tourists' travel experiences with TTGs, and TTGs' perception of their roles. Weiler and Yu's dimensions of tour guides' cultural mediation (i.e., mediating access, understanding, and encounter) were referenced when analyzing the results and assessing how TTGs play a role as culture brokers in a domestic tourism context. The results revealed the importance of mediating understanding, recognizing TTGs' locality in culture brokering, and responding to constraints that discourage TTGs from acting as culture brokers.