Abstract:
This study aims to examine the exposure of foreign tourists visiting Phuket to media providing tourism information of Phuket in the year 2000. Four hundred and ten participants were selected by multistage random sampling method. Questionnaires were distributed and collected at randomly selected hotels.
1. The study found that there was a significant difference in the exposure of tourist from different regions to information of Phuket from tourist books brochure and travel agencies. Female exposed themselves to tourist books and travel agencies more than male. The elders exposed themselves to radio and film more than the younger, while the younger exposed themselves to variety of media, especially the new media such as Internet. Education levels of tourists also had effects on the exposure to tourist information. Tourists with degree lower than Bachelor's exposed themselves to the Internet and tourist books with a lot less degree than those who has degree higher than Bachelor's. Occupation and marital status of the tourists also related to the exposure of their tourist information from tourist books and travel agencies.
2. Foreign tourists who came with the groups exposed themselves to tourist information from travel agencies more than those who came on his own arrangement. At the same time, tourists who came on his own arrangement exposed themselves to information from the Internet more than those who came with the groups.
3. Foreign tourists from the U.S. saw hotels and restaurants as the appropriate location for the exposure to the tourist information.