Cross-Border Tourism Spatial Dynamics of the Greater Bay Area in China

This research studies the spatial dynamics of tourism development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, a cross-border region under a multi-level administrative structure in China. Specifically, it examines tourism spatial spillovers and convergence dynamics across Bay Area cities to assess the extent to which cities' heterogeneous tourism development trajectories promote or inhibit the deepening of regional tourism cooperation. Results from spatial econometric modeling and nonparametric distribution dynamics reveal positive tourism spatial spillovers and convergence with stratification. Furthermore, certain factors, such as cities' economic development, basic infrastructure, and tourism capacity, are key drivers of tourism development. Other factors, including cities' tourism resources and transportation networks, need to be addressed for tourism expansion. These findings on the spatial landscape and determinants of cross-border tourism in the Bay Area provide useful insights into formulating regional policies on collective tourism development.