Redai dili (Jul 2023)
An Impact Study of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge on Regional Tourism Integration Development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area
Abstract
The completion of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge makes the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area a closed-loop traffic system that provides the basis and possibility for tourism integration. From the spatial perspective of tourism supply and demand, this study examines the pattern of tourism competitiveness and residents' travel potential of cities in the Bay Area before and after the opening of the bridge, using the Geographic Information System and an improved gravity model of the tourism system. The development trend of regional tourism integration under bridge impact was also analyzed. The results show that: (1) the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has facilitated a more balanced distribution of tourist flows on the east and west sides of the Pearl River Estuary, which will benefit balanced development and promote the integrated development of regional tourism in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. (2) The bridge impact index on tourism competitiveness and residents' travel potential in 11 cities in the Greater Bay Area was significantly correlated with traffic accessibility change following the opening of the bridge, presenting an obvious attenuation effect of the bridge's impact on tourism with distance to the bridge. The opening of the bridge has reduced tourism resistance between the two sides of the estuary and greatly strengthened tourism cooperation between cities on both sides of the estuary, especially the complementary resource advantages between the east and west bank city clusters (Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Macao, and Zhuhai). (3) The impact on tourism competitiveness and residents' travel potential in the Greater Bay Area shows a significant spatial clustering pattern. The high-value clustering areas are mainly located in Hong Kong, Macao, and Zhuhai, which are directly connected by the bridge. Some areas of Zhongshan and Zhuhai are surrounded by high-value neighbors and are more likely to be diffused. Some areas of Guangzhou-Foshan and Shenzhen-Dongguan are low-value clustering areas, showing a marginalization trend. The bridge significantly strengthens the advantages of the core city agglomerations of Hong Kong and Macao. The relative status of Guangzhou and nearby areas has been weakened; however, the bridge does not affect Guangzhou's leading position in the tourism industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
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