Pathways to tourism industry ecologization: A technology-organization-environment configuration framework

Abstract

Global tourism sustainability goals call for a higher tourism industry ecologization (TIE) level. Previous studies have focused on TIE’s conceptual definition and assessment framework but have not yet to explore its driving mechanisms. This study builds an analytical framework for TIE based on the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework. It proposes that TIE depends not on a single condition but on the configurational effects of technology, organization, and environment. Using Getis-Ord Gi* to analyze the spatial distribution of TIE and then fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to analyze the effect of conditions on TIE, the results show that: 1) From 2011 to 2019, the level of TIE in 30 Chinese provinces is generally stable, but its spatial distribution varies. 2) There are three configurations to achieve high TIE levels: green drive, organization pull environment, and comprehensive conditions drive. Moreover, there are two configurations to achieve not-high TIE levels: comprehensive conditions miss and organization-environment miss. 3) Fiscal decentralization and industrial structure are the main conditions for high levels of TIE, and low green cover is the primary condition for non-high levels of TIE. The impact of technology innovation capacity and digital economy development level on TIE depends on specific combinations of conditions. This study provides a valuable reference for tourism destination managers coordinating technical, organizational, and environmental conditions to promote TIE according to local conditions.