SSCI论文-高铁旅游效应(2)

Impacts of the high-speed train on China’s tourism demand159

At the destination level, meanwhile, the issue of accessibility has long beenregarded as the main facilitating and inhibiting factor in local tourismdevelopment(Mill and Morrison, 1998; Goeldner and Ritchie, 2003). Fordestinations in underdeveloped countries, transport always top the priority listin feasibility studies of local tourism endeavours. At the other end of the scale,for high-end attractions, such as tourism resorts, a sound transportinfrastructureis a prerequisite for the provision of high-quality products and experiences(Prideaux, 2000). Prideaux (2005) also recognizes the upgrading of transportconditions and facilities as an effective approach in contributing to thesustainabledevelopment of resort destinations, especially during the renovation stages oftheir lifecycles. In addition, transport underlies inter-destination and intra-destination networks, and the categorizations of different destinations thusderived can shed light on optimization of destination attractiveness andcooperation(Lew and McKercher, 2002). For instance, it has been claimed thatgateway hub cities are in an excellent position to stimulate inter-modaltransport,on one hand, and enlarge access to the further hinterland, on the other(Van Klink and Van den Berg, 1998; Palhares, 2003).From a tourist’s perspective, the influence of transport on the decision-making process can be incorporated into elaborations on the theories of distancedecay and market access. The theory of distance decay was first put forwardby Bull (1991). It proposes an inverse relationship between the demand fortravel and the distance to be covered, with the transport considerations exertinga moderating influence. In addition, transportation costs usually take adominantproportion of the trip expense – 30 to 40%, transport can be regarded as aproxy for the cost factor, which is another inhibiting force on travel demand(Mill and Morrison, 1998). Hence, the manipulation of the potential tourist’sperceptions of transport, with the time factor inherently involved with it, canunleash travel demand to an extent few other approaches can rival (McKercher,1998a). Furthermore, several authors have also questioned the validity ofdistancedecay theory by revealing the existence of so-called effective tourismexclusion zones at some distance – not necessarily a great distance – where theremay be little or no demand and beyond which some kind of secondary peakdemand can be observed (McKercher and Lew, 2003). Compensating for theimpacts of such zones, favourable transport factors can effectively maintain andboost motivations of travel.In addition, as has been pointed out by McKercher (1998b), according tothe theory of market access, given equality of the products offered, thecompetitiveadvantage will go to the destination with the greater proximity tothe market. Market access can be measured by the relative difference in thetime, cost, distance or effort required to access different destinations (Pearce1989). In this sense, transport conditions are positively correlated with theextent of market access, and thereby contribute to the consolidation ofcompetitiveadvantages of the destination. McKercher (1998b) goes further andspecifies the two practical benefits that can be gained by destinations thatallocate a substantial degree of recognition and emphasis to their marketaccess.For one thing, stronger market access will guarantee sufficientvisitations,especially from people who cherish time and effort spent en routeas precious commodities. For another thing, places with stronger market accesswill have a better chance of functioning as secondary locales of attraction

160TOURISM ECONOMICS

diverting would-have-been transit consumer flows heading to their primarydestinations.

Railways and tourism

The railway has long been identified with modern tourism (Li and Liu, 2005).Compared with other modes of transportation, railways are seen as having suchcompetitive advantages as safety, convenience, timeliness, flexibility andeconomicvalue for the tourist. The railway is of vital significance todestinationslocated in a geographically challenging terrain where air transport is unpractical(Hall, 2000). Also, charted train journeys are regarded as the prototypes of theirair and cruise counterparts (Mill and Morrison, 1998). Frandberg (1998)suggeststhat the railway should be the ideal choice for the developmentofsustainable tourism. According to Mill and Morrison (1998), railwaytransportation is usually characterized by multi-stakeholder interrelationships,covering all major components of the destination tourism system. Particularly,given the enormous financial costs concerned with railway infrastructure, Murphyet al (2000) consider support from the government to be a crucial factor of thesuccess of destinations dependent on railway transportation, with Europe beinga case in point.Besides, there has also been an academic consensus that the railway itself andthe trains running on it have become a unique category of tourist attractionsin their own right (Dallen, 2007). Papatheodorou (2001) attributed theemergenceof this new form of attraction to both the lineage of the railway tripwith the broader travel experiences, and the cultural values concomitant withsuch trips. Accordingly, the special segment of railway tourists can be profiledand targeted in marketing. Hall (2000) proposed the initiation of innovativethemes and the integration of other products – especially sightseeing andentertainment – in destination planning to cater to this market segment moreeffectively.

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