Is Tourism Becoming More Globally Interconnected or Regionally Concentrated? A Network Analysis Approach
使用网络科学工具分析190个国家1995-2021年的国际旅游数据，发现国际旅游网络以区域集中为主且趋势加强，挑战了旅游业主要受全球互联驱动的观点。
This study investigates the extent of regional concentration and global interconnectedness in international tourism flows using network science analytical tools. To this end, we algorithmically detect international tourism communities and investigate whether tendencies toward regionalization and globalization differ across different communities and groups of countries. A cross-country dataset consisting of 190 origin and destination countries over the period 1995 to 2021 is used for the empirical analysis. The results show that the international tourism network is predominantly regionally concentrated, and this pattern has strengthened over time. Our findings highlight that mesoscale network structures in tourism can serve as a foundation for predicting future tourism trends. This challenges the notion that this sector is primarily driven by globally interconnected factors. Policies promoting international destination marketing on a regional basis and collaboration in marketing regional tourism destinations can help countries gain a competitive edge, such as reaching a wider audience.