Abstract
There is a growing but controversial literature concerning the link between high-speed rail (HSR) services and the tourism market. The aim of this paper is to identify this link in the case of two theme parks, namely Disneyland Paris and Futuroscope Parks, both served by an HSR station. Two revealed preference surveys were carried out interviewing tourists at both stations, with the objective of investigating the influence of HSRs on their decision to visit these theme parks. The results significantly diverge. In the case of Disneyland, tourists declared that the presence of HSR was fundamental in the choice of the destination; they would not have come without it. On the contrary, in the case of Futuroscope, tourists stated that HSR was not relevant. Indeed they would have come to Futuroscope in any case, also without this service. Moreover, the link between HSR and visiting other places close to these parks is also very different. These two case studies show again that the relationship between HSR and the local economic development in general and tourism in particular is very different according to places. HSR does not always contribute to the tourism market even in the case of a “stay tourism”.
Highlights
The authors would like to thank students of the University of Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée (IFU) and those of Poitiers University who conducted the surveys and especially, Adeline Beaumont who carried out the survey, built the data base and done the first analysis concerning the Futuroscope
We can expect that the link between high-speed rail (HSR) and the tourism market depends on the type of tourism (Bazin et al, 2011)
2 The aim of this paper is to identify the extent and the nature of the relationship between HSR and destination choice in the case of theme parks at two levels, namely the parks themselves and other places
Summary
10 Disneyland Paris and Futuroscope near Poitiers, considered the most important parks in France, have been chosen as case studies. 14 Disneyland Paris and Futuroscope are both served by an HSR station (Figure 1) In both case studies, the park entry is located just near the HSR station, whose main function is to serve the park themselves. 15 Marne-la-Vallée Chessy station was built in 1994, i.e. two years after the opening of the first Park Disneyland. 20 Marne-La-Vallée-Chessy station is a so-called as “interconnection station”, i.e. HSR services calling at this station are not radial services from/to central Paris They usually link French HSR stations located in other regions (Lille, Nantes, Reims ChampagneArdenne station, Meuse station, Lorraine station, Strasbourg, Lyon, Aix-en-Provence, Montpellier, Nîmes, Avignon, Marseille) sometimes via other peripheral stations located on the Parisian HSR by-pass (Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport and Massy stations). 29 Two models, using this approach, were specified and calibrated respectively for Disneyland and Futuroscope
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