During the ongoing National Games, airline ticket bookings to the major host cities, such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai, have seen double-digit growth compared with last year. Business districts near the key venues have seen a surge of visitors. Flight bookings between the Chinese mainland and the two special administrative regions have also risen steadily, proof that major sporting events can instantly stimulate regional tourism consumption.

However, the true value of the Games lies not only in the short-term tourism boom but also in the pioneering practices that have advanced sports-tourism integration. Successful innovations in business models, branding and regulatory coordination have expanded the horizon for collaboration in the GBA after the Games conclude.

The venues of 19 host cities have been linked with surrounding cultural and tourism resources, integrating sports, culture and tourism. Through the creative opening ceremony, the Chinese white dolphin mascots Xiyangyang and Lerongrong, and a series of cultural events the Games have built a coherent and distinctive cultural identity. All these elements have laid a solid foundation for the creation of a world-class tourism destination. That's just what the Games' slogan promises — "Passionate National Games, Vibrant Greater Bay Area".

The institutional innovations made by the organizing committee to address the challenges of cross-border event management are commendable. During the men's individual road cycle race across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the marathon spanning Shenzhen and Hong Kong, a pre-check and closed-loop management customs clearance model was implemented, ensuring a "zero delay, zero contact, zero waiting" seamless and smart boundary crossing. This has provided a replicable model for efficient coordination in personnel and goods movement in the future.

The GBA should seize the opportunity presented by the Games to transform the valuable experience, innovative mechanisms and cooperative momentum accumulated during the Games into long-term drivers of sports-tourism development.

First, the cities concerned should build on the upgraded infrastructure from the Games to attract and nurture international and regional sporting events, shaping the GBA into a vibrant "events-every-month" destination. Social capital should be encouraged to participate in post-Games venue operations, develop regular sports and leisure products, and turn temporary visitor peaks into stable flows.

Second, the Greater Bay Area brand should continue to be leveraged, by launching more premium multi-destination tourism routes. The tourism authorities of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao should market the GBA as a unified, dynamic and stylish travel destination.

Third, institutional innovations should be transformed into long-term mechanisms. The successful experiences in customs and transportation management during the Games should be codified through intergovernmental consultation into standardized procedures and cooperation agreements, turning temporary policies into lasting arrangements and providing institutional assurance for deeper regional collaboration.

The momentum of sports-tourism integration ignited by the Games should be cultivated so sports become an integration pathway for the GBA. A more vibrant, attractive and interconnected world-class tourism destination is bound to emerge from this.