해양자원의 웰니스 산업적 이용가능성과 해외치유관광 개발 전략

Exploring the Possibility of Utilization on Marine Resources in Wellness Industry and Strategies for Marine Healing Tourism

Ever since the beginning of human history, civilization and technology have been continuously evolving and the quality of our life is improving constantly. Two things that distinguish the current generation of people from their parents are a big increase in leisure time and a higher expectation of health and longevity. The word ‘wellness ’is a neologism to describe human behavior in pursuit of physical health and higher mental satisfaction, and the size of the ‘wellness industry’, which refers to all forms of activities that provide wellness, is growing every year. Those people who pursue wellness generally prefer to spend leisure time in a secluded, clean environment rather than a complex, polluted urban area. The marine environment is a natural space which contains various elements related with physical and mental healing : generally, the quality of air on the coast is high and rich in oxygen; beautiful coastal landscapes provide the effects of aesthetic satisfaction and emotional stability. If the ocean can be used as a venue for the pursuit of wellness, it will have the effect of revitalizing coastal villages and creating new industries. This study examined the possibility of using marine resources in Korea as a wellness industry and suggested strategies for development of marine healing tourism suitable for coastal villages and marine conditions in Korea.