Abstract
Information and communications technologies (ICTs) have been driving the digital revolution of all industries worldwide. Industrial convergence constitutes a new feature and trend of contemporary industrial development and has received extensive attention from the media and public. However, the interrelationship between the two concepts—industrial convergence and ICTs—remains under-researched. This paper aims to explore and evaluate the ICTs’ impact on industrial convergence by focusing on the interrelationship between culture and tourism. The study takes an industrial economics perspective with a specific focus on the multi-dimensional (direct, moderated, and threshold) effects. A research framework was suggested synthesizing three econometric models and encompassing three hypotheses. The research model was then empirically tested and validated through quantitative research using China’s provincial panel data from 2004 to 2018. The study’s findings indicate a positive influence/relationship between ICTs and market-oriented reforms in the culture and tourism industries’ convergence. Moreover, a positive labor-convergence relationship was found, while the negative government–convergence relationship was uncovered in control variables. Regarding the moderating effect, the interaction of ICTs and market-oriented reforms is positively correlated with industrial convergence. In addition, there is a single-threshold effect of consumer demand on the ICTs–convergence relationship. This article extends our knowledge in two ways by addressing the knowledge gap regarding the interrelationship between culture and tourism and by providing new insights into the influence of ICTs on this industrial convergence that has theoretical and practical implications.
Highlights
Tourism and culture industries are both regarded as promising pathways for economic development worldwide [1]
This study argues that information and communication technologies (ICTs) constitute a key determinant in the process of culture–tourism convergence
The values of F statistic or/and Wald statistic of each model, representing the overall significance of the regression, were statistically significant, and the reported coefficient of determination (R-squared) ranged from 57% to 76%. It indicates that the econometric model fits well and a large portion of variance of influence is explained by explanatory variables
Summary
Tourism and culture industries are both regarded as promising pathways for economic development worldwide [1]. Information and communication technologies (ICTs), such as the internet and big data, have gradually been applied in all fields and industries, including culture and tourism [3]. Smart technologies, such as mobile devices and applications, virtual reality, augmented reality, and wearable devices [4], are reconstructing the value chains of culture and tourism industries in various aspects. This paper argues that digitalization and smartness have gradually penetrated the value chains of culture and tourism industries and promoted the intersection and restructuration of their links, resulting in an integration
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