Effects of the high speed rail network on China's regional tourism development

Abstract This paper examines the effects of China's high speed rail network (HSRN) on its regional tourism development. It applies the time–space replacement concept to extend the gravitational model and uses iso-tourist lines in explaining the effects created by the mass implementation of China's HSRN. Considering a future gridline tourism transportation model in China, the paper concludes that the effects of HSRN on China's tourism include: a) a redistribution and transformation of tourist markets; b) market competition on a larger scale; and c) a reallocation of urban tourism centers.