Sheffield Business School BSc (Honours) Tourism Management Title Transportation network and Tourism Name Chow Yi Ming, Karif Student No 91206396 Month Year April 2010 Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield Business School Title Transportation network and Tourism FULL NAME Chow Yi Ming, Karif STUDENT No 91206396 Supervisor: Dr. Connie Mok In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management. Month Year April 2011 Acknowledgements The research of this project would like to thank for the project supervisor of Dr. Connie Mok for her guidance, assistance, recommendations, support and patience in the whole process of the project. And the tutor lessons of Professional and Academic Development, Mr. John Perry, skills taught by him was also important guideline of this project. Secondly, the researcher would like to thank Miss Sharon Wong for editing English of this project. Finally, researcher would also like to thank her family and friends for the support and ideas of this project. Their support was the motivation for research to complete this project. i Table of Contents Page Acknowledgements i Table of Contents ii List of Figures iv List of Tables iv Section 1 Executive summary 1 Section 2 Introduction 3 2.1 Background 3 2.2 Aim 4 2.3 Objectives 4 Section 3 Literature Review 6 3.1 Tourism and transport 6 3.1.1 The role of transport 6 3.1.2 Transport modes, networks and flows 8 3.1.3 Types of transport 9 3.1.3.1 Air transport 9 3.1.3.2 Ground transport 10 3.1.3.3 Water transport 11 3.2 Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link 11 3.3 Transportation as a tourism product 15 3.3.1 Different type of transports to be a tourist product 15 3.3.2 Cursing 15 Section 4 Methodology 19 4.1 Research Method 19 4.2 Case studies 20 4.3 Limitations 20 Section 5 Findings and Analysis 22 5.1 Shipping industry 23 5.1.1 Network of Shipping 24 5.1.2 Hub-and-spoke system in shipping 24 5.1.3 International express mail services (EMS) 25 5.2 Transportation for daily life 26 5.2.1 Transportation in Hong Kong 26 5.2.1.1 Railways 27 5.2.1.2 Buses 29 5.2.1.3 Other public transport 29 5.3 Transportation for tourism use 31 5.3.1 Purpose of visit and types of transport traveler used 32 5.3.2 Cruise Tourism 33 5.3.2.1 Benefits of cruising 34 ii Section 6 Conclusions 36 6.1 Conclusion 36 6.2 Recommendations 38 Reference 40 Last Page 44 iii List of Figures Page Figure 3.1 The Tourism System 7 Figure 3.2 The five freedoms of air 9 Figure 3.3 Key information of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link 12 Figure 3.4 4+4 Passenger Designated Lines network in China 14 Figure 3.5 Routes of the Skill Routes of both by land and sea 16 Figure 5.1 The major function of the transport 22 Figure 5.2 Hub-and-spoke system 25 Figure 5.3 MTR network after merger 28 Figure 5.4 Transport system 31 Figure 5.5 Purpose of visit 32 List of Tables Page Table 5.1 World seaborne trade 23 Table 5.2 Tourist arrivals by means of transport for the world and by region 33 Table 5.3 Quarterly capacity by regional cruise area in 2004 33 iv Section1 Executive summary Transportation is an important part in the tourism industry, as well as our daily life. It also acts as an important role in mobility. A well-developed transportation network can increase the accessibility of the destination; thereby increase the number of tourists for the destination. Transport and tourism had an indivisible relationship, transportation network of and within a destination is one of the key factors that make a destination success. Since the Second World War, developments of technology boost the tourism industry as travel by aircraft become more common. The aims and objective of this project is to identify the relationship between tourism and transportation which will mainly focus on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen- Hong Kong Express Rail Link and transportation as a tourist product. Finally, give recommendations on the improvement of tourism transportation in Hong Kong. To investigate the relationship between tourism and transport, a qualitative study using case study method. Information will be obtained from secondary data will be taken. Furthermore, case studies will also be discussed in the section of finding and analysis. Tourism and transport, Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and Transportation as a tourism product will be contained in the literature review. Transportation does not only take up an important role in our life, but also the tourism industry. Tourism and transportation are interdependent with each other. 1 Without transportation, traveler cannot travel for a long distance, while many transport operators cannot survive solely without the demand from tourism. Transportation does not only have the function of linking tourist generating regions and tourist destinations, but can also be designed into a tourism product According to the findings of this project, there are three main functions of transport, i.e. for tourism, daily life and shipping or trade. Shipping is one of the examples of transportation to be a tool used in trading. Ships took the role of carrying goods in the past. Till nowadays, people still use the water way to convey goods. During 1965 – 2005, world seaborne trade has growth from 6,000 to 28,000 billion ton miles, over 450%; most of world trades in volume terms are transported by sea. Transportation is indispensable and plays an important role in our daily life, distance between people are shortened by transportations. Without transportation, people will be forced to live the primitive life. Tourism relies heavily on transportation as well. Transportation does not only undertake the role of linking up the origin and tourist destinations, but also the movement of the tourists within destinations. 2 Section 2 Introduction 2.1 Background Transportation is an important part in the tourism industry, as well as our daily life. It also acts as an important role in mobility (Duval 2007). In the past, international travel is not popular because of the relatively less developed transportation. As the transportation systems in nowadays world have been improved, travel time is therefore greatly shortened. Besides, it is safer, more comfortable and inexpensive to travel in the recent years. This explains why many people nowadays are interested and willing to travel to different countries. The tourism industry and mobility of many countries have grown significantly when comparing to a few decades ago (Lumsdon and Page 2004). A well-developed transportation network can increase the accessibility of the destination; thereby increase the number of tourists for the destination (Boniface, Cooper 2009). The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link is an express railway which will be opened in 2015. It links up West Kowloon, which is located in Hong Kong and the northern part of Guangzhou in Guangdong Province (MTR website). It helps to facilitate the flow of both people and goods between Hong Kong and the Mainland China. It is forecasted that it will attract more tourists from China to pay visits to Hong Kong more regularly, which will in turn boost the tourism industry of Hong Kong. Despite of the benefits which can be brought by the Express Rail Link, there is some opposition from the society 3 regarding the construction of it because of various reasons. However, after considering the development of Hong Kong, it has now been approved by the Government. Transportation does not only provide connections between destinations, it can also become tourist products which helps to attract tourists, such as railway products – Blue Train in South Africa, air product – day trips on helicopter and sea product – cruise ship. In the past, marine transport was used for immigration and carrying of goods. However, when the first custom-built cruise ship was built by the German companay Hamburg – Amerika in 1900, the cruise industry has became a new trend of tourism (Duval 2007). 2.2 Aim The aim of this project is to identify the relationship between tourism and transportation which will mainly focus on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. 2.3 Objectives To identify the relationship between tourism and transportation; To present a case study about the construction of Guangzhou-Shenzhen- Hong Kong Express Rail Link; To discuss transportation as a tourist product; and 4 To give recommendations on the improvement of tourism transportation in Hong Kong. 5 Section 3 Literature Review 3.1 Tourism and transport Transportation does not only take up an important role in our life, but also the tourism industry. Tourism and transportation are interdependent with each other. Without transportation, traveler cannot travel for a long distance, while many transport operators cannot survive solely without the demand from tourism. 3.1.1 The role of transport Global tourism has been growing rapidly in recent decades. Transportation network and transport increase people’s mobility. In the past, it was rare for people to travel around the world as it is time wasting, expensive and dangerous (Hudman, Jackson 2003), however, starting from the 21st century; the improvement in technology allows travelers to travel safer, faster, more comfortable, and inexpensive(Page 2004). For instance, jet-powered passenger plans, more comfortable seats and better quality service are provided by different kinds of transportation. Boniface and Cooper (2009) believe that, the development of transportation helps to stimulate the growth of tourism.