Analysis of tourism destination centrality and structural properties of tourism system: Complex network perspective

Abstract

ourism has become a new way of living with the living standard development. This study analyses the tourism destination centrality and spatial patterns of the tourism system using complex network analysis. An analysis of 245 destinations in the South of Thailand has found that the network has a low network density, large average path length and low clustering coefficient. Some a small number of high-degree destinations connect to each other, while most connect to others with a low degree. The network comprises 18 subnetworks that destinations densely connect to others in the same subnetwork but sparsely connect to others in different ones. Destinations play different roles in the network based on which a centrality measure is used, degree, betweenness and closeness centrality. 31 destinations with high hub and authority centrality are the centers playing as hubs of the network. The study’s findings draw implications for the sector.