일본의 지역관광정보센터 「道의 驛」에 관한 연구

A Study on “MICHINOEKI” Regional Tourist Information Center in Japan

“MICHINOEKI” Regional Tourist Center in Japan is different from other tourist information desks which provide just tourist information. It has a feature of seeking interactive benefits and interests between tourists and local residents. It provides information of the region and refreshment to tourists and enables the local residents to make known the region and promote the regional development via mutual exchanges with the tourists, namely, it performs the function of an integral information center for the region with the functions of providing information, refreshment and community. “MICHINOEKI” Tourist Information Centers is shown to be, though its operation type is different depending upon localities, very effective in the advertisement of regional culture and in the promotion of regional development by enabling as many road users as possible to access the culture and products of the region. And this study showed that it is necessary for such regional total information centers to be operated by a body of regional community and to have a function of connecting it with the residents of the region for exchanges. To that end, this study also showed that it is very important for the centers to set a theme, to establish characterized facilities and to have a systematical frame to make the profit from the centers go to the residents. “MICHINOEKI” Tourist Information Center in Japan is not only for tourism but can be developed with the proper combination of such functions as a new type of tourism. Especially, this study has come up with a conclusion that the adoption of a integral regional tourist information center by the regions which have no special tourist resources will be very useful to the promotion of regional development.