The challenges of developing transit tourism

Abstract

This paper examines the challenges of attracting day-trip transit passengers in Asian hub airports. The rapid expansion of Asian hub airports in the past six years should produce opportunities for destinations to benefit from short-stay visits by transit and transfer passengers, using the hub for convenient connections. However, little short-haul transit tourism seems to occur. The authors propose that two reasons may account for this lack of demand: lack of opportunity or lack of desire. This study examines transit/transfer passengers from Chinese Taipei that pass through Hong Kong's International Airport. The study concludes that interest in transit tourism is high, but a lack of opportunity precludes higher participation rates. Intervention at the travel purchase decision-making point may enhance transit tourism opportunities.

Keywords:

• transit
• transfer
• day trip tourism