A Study on the Impact of Large-Scale Sports Events on Urban Tourism Passenger Flow and Consumption Patterns from the Perspective of Sports-Tourism Integration

Abstract

Driven by the Hainan Free Trade Port initiatives and the national strategy for sports-tourism integration, large-scale sporting events have become crucial for regulating tourist flows and optimizing tourism consumption. Leveraging its coastal advantages, Haikou hosts branded events like marathons and sailing opens, revitalizing its cultural and tourism landscape. Grounded in theories of sports-tourism integration and spatiotemporal flow reshaping, this study employs literature review, case study, and logical induction to analyze changes in tourist flow scale, origin composition, length of stay, and spatiotemporal distribution before and after these events in Haikou. It also examines shifts in consumption patterns, including dining, accommodation, experiential entertainment, and transportation. Findings indicate that while large-scale events rapidly increase short-term tourist numbers and alleviate off-peak traffic shortages, Haikou faces challenges such as short stay durations, a high proportion of basic consumption, insufficient high-end spending, and rapid post-event tourist declines. To address these issues, this paper proposes optimization strategies: developing event-based tourism product matrices, fostering high-end consumption formats, enhancing regional supporting services, and establishing sustainable visitor attraction mechanisms. These strategies aim to transition Haikou from relying on short-term event-driven traffic to fostering sustainable, high-quality tourism consumption growth. Ultimately, this study provides a practical reference for the high-quality development of the coastal sports and tourism industry within the Free Trade Port.