도시민의 농촌 원예치료체험 수요 분석

Analysis of Urban Residents Demand for Rural Horticultural Therapy

The purpose of this study is to estimate the urban residents demand for rural horticultural therapy, which is recently popular in Japan. Based upon that a rural horticultural therapy site would be established in Gijang-gun, Pusan-shi, a survey was done for residents of Pusan-shi, Ulsan-shi, and Yangsan-shi which are urban areas adjacent to Gijang-gun. The factors determining whether urban residents will consume rural horticultural therapy or not and how many months they will spend for rural horticultural therapy was supposed using Heckman s model, a restrictive dependent variable model. According to the survey of the urban residents, 113 respondents out of total 329 respondents, which is 34.3 percent, expressed the willingness to visit the rural horticultural therapy site, and their average potential period of time for rural horticultural therapy was no more than 1.6 months. It is necessary that local governments keep the price for rural horticultural therapy low for urban residents to utilize them more frequently. It will not only improve the quality of urban residents life, but also provide the opportunity to increase the rural income through urban residents visiting and staying in rural area. In addition, local governments need to generate publicity for rural horticultural therapy to urban residents with special target on the elderly, the disabled, and farm-stay experienced households.