Spatial network structure of inter-provincial farmer tourist flows in China

According to the related data from the sample survey of Chinese domestic tourists in 2008, the authors construct the intrinsic relationship and the spatial network structure of inter-provincial tourist flows of Chinese farmers. Based on social network analysis, GIS spatial analysis and mathematical analysis, the authors examine the node indicators of centrality and structural holes of inter-provincial spatial network of the domestic farmer tourist flows. First, the network density of inter-provincial farmer tourist flows is low, but it tends to increase at a slow rate with the time going on. Nodes of the network present an uneven density distribution pattern of "high in eastern China, sparse in central China and scattered in western China". The overall network structure is loose. Second, the central network force of the inward is stronger than that of the outward. The degree of concentration in tourist destination is higher than that of the visitor-generating region. The tourism nodes in eastern China have two functions of the tourist destination and the visitor-generating region. However, the tourism nodes in either central China or western China have only one function of the tourist destination. Third, the radiating capacity from the core region to the peripheral region is weak and limited in the provinces of western China. Besides, the nodes with high centre index occupy the core places, and have the core competitive advantages. The tourist indegree of eastern China is higher than either central China or western China. The tourist outdegree is positive corresponding to the travel rate. Fourth, there are five concentration subgroups in the spatial network of inter-provincial farmer tourist flows in China. Each concentration subgroup is a tourist destination with its special core-periphery structure. At last, this study on domestic tourist flows of Chinese farmers, based on a province-scale research unit, provides both the theoretical and the practical supports to balance the development and the tourist accessibility of the travel space in China.