Network behavior as driving forces for tourism flows

Abstract

This research focuses on the relationship between networks of tourism destinations and tourism flows. First, the authors propose a new model to demonstrate networks of tourism destinations using travel agency supplied tourism packages. They demonstrate how to build the network matrices using operating steps applied to tourism markets in China. Next, the authors construct a two-stage game model that assumes that the more links a tourism destination has with other destinations, the greater will be its tourism flows. Forming links between destinations can be seen as a strategy to increase the competitive advantage of destinations linked in the network while benefiting the tourism market as a whole by decreasing the intensity of market competition. The outcome of implementing this strategy is a distinctly hierarchical network of tourism destinations (NTD). Finally, using tourism data from China the authors found positive correlations between degree, closeness centrality, and betweenness centrality of a destination and its tourism flows. Based on these findings, propagating network linkages among tourism destinations can reduce intensity of competition among destinations within a tourism market, promote the competitive advantages of individual destinations, and improve positioning of destinations within NTD.