Abstract

Touristmobility relies inevitably on transport infrastructures. New transportinfrastructures contribute to the (re)shaping of tourist mobility and,eventually, generate new demand. In many countries, the development ofhigh-speed rail networks has considerably improved regional connectivity andmade new destinations accessible by ground transport. The improvement in accessibilitywithin a geographical region generates benefits for the entire community. Hong Kong hasrecently witnessed the opening of two major transport infrastructures which providegreater connectivity with Macao and Mainland China by road and rail. Thisstudy aims to investigate how the improved connectivity affects the preferencesof prospective tourists to engage in cross-border mobility in the Greater BayArea, China. The analysis is based on a discrete choice experiment conductedamong individuals residing in four English-speaking and major source markets,namely the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.