Mobility governance in remote areas: Evidence from how Qinghai Lake addresses bicycle tourism

Abstract

Mobility governance has been an important topic in transport geography research, yet existing studies focused more on urban areas and overlooked the role of tourism in reallocating mobility resources. Thus, this article delves into bicycle tourism, which combines transportation and tourism characteristics, and its mobility governance in remote areas. Qinghai Lake is chosen to examine how destinations govern the challenges of bicycle tourism through mobility regimes. Findings indicate that bicycle tourists encounter mobility hindrances from motor vehicles, particularly large trucks. To mitigate these negative impacts, the destination endeavors to reform mobility regimes, including modifying mobility rules, enhancing infrastructure, and expanding bicycle tourism products and services. Through these governance measures, the mobility of bicycle tourists has been improved to a certain extent. This study provides a unique perspective on the geographical evolution of transport systems in remote areas through the entry point of bicycle tourism.