The evolution of Xinjiang's border tourism development and its affecting factors:A case study of Horgos
In the context of the Belt and Road Initiative,Chinese border tourism has entered a new development stage.Xinjiang,positioned as the core zone of the Silk Road Economic Belt,has seen increasing strategic advantages,and its border tourism is increasingly being promoted by different levels of governments.Drawing on first-hand data mainly through semi-structured interviews with government and business representatives in Khorgos on the China-Kazakhstan border,in combination with rich secondary sources of data,this study sets to unveil the evolu-tion of Xinjiang's border tourism development and its affecting factors.The findings show that border tourism in Xinjiang has gone through two stages,namely inbound tours for shopping and trade in the 1990s,and domestic tours for border port sightseeing since the 21st century.China's geopolitical and geo-economic relations with neighboring countries,Xinjiang's securi-ty situation,location of border port,regional socio-economic development level,and tourism supply level are identified as the major determinants of Xinjiang's border tourism develop-ment.The study advances the understandings of regional difference in terms of Chinese border tourism development,and offers practical implications for border tourism development in Xinji-ang.
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