旅游枢纽的国内外研究经历了“交通枢纽-旅游枢纽基础理论-旅游枢纽”的阶段演变。旅游枢纽的发展源于交通枢纽,以交通枢纽为基础,以人的运输为主,提供旅游配套的信息服务,并整合了一般公共交通等多种交通方式,为游客提供便捷服务。旅游枢纽是旅游客源地与目的地之间的中介与桥梁,旅游目的地主要通过拥有的旅游资源形成吸引物,旅游枢纽则通过流经的客源取得控制力。旅游枢纽的聚散功能是实现对旅游流与地方旅游业控制的关键因素。根据国际旅游枢纽的主要功能与演变进程进行划分,国际旅游枢纽可以分为枢纽主导型和枢纽-目的地并存型。国际旅游枢纽的发展共同遵循四大规律:完善的交通枢纽网络是汇集旅游流的基础;航空枢纽在旅游枢纽中发挥主导作用;借助枢纽功能实现对周边旅游的控制力;目的地与枢纽功能的融合发展。
Research on tourism hubs in China and abroad are based on transportation hubs, after which the basic theory about tourism hubs occurred and boosted study on the theoretical and practical development of tourism hubs. Tourism hubs originated from transportation hubs. Based on transportation hubs, tourism hubs provide tourists with tourism-related information, service and infrastructure, as well as well-rounded, seamless and accessible integration of all kind of transports which make tourist transfers and travel more convenient. Tourism hubs bridge tourism markets and destinations, but there are differences between them. The tourism resources are main attractions for tourists while tourism hubs strike to control the local tourism industry through tourist flows. The functions of gathering and scattering are key factors for tourism hubs which help to control tourist flows and the tourism industry. According to different practical functions and various development processes of international tourism hubs, we generalize their practices and divide them into two categories: hub-dominated tourism cities and hub-destination tourism cities. The development of international tourism hubs follows similar laws. Well-constructed hubs, especially the airport hub network will be helpful for tourism hubs to attract tourist flow. Tourism hubs benefit from their hub functions and control of local tourism industries. With the development of the tourism industry, tourist destinations and tourism hubs tend to mix together.