Destination In China Research Articles

Grouping Analysis of QCA for International Ecotourism Destinations in Cloud Computing Era of Geo-ecology

INTRODUCTION: The Internet era has made the world more closely connected, and ecotourism has also caught up with the Internet era of cloud computing, making more and more international ecotourism destinations in China known to the world. China's global ecotourism industry has made significant progress, but it needs to be better to construct international ecotourism destinations. Therefore, conducts the grouping analysis of QCA of international ecotourism destinations in the cloud computing era of geo-ecology.
 OBJECTIVES: To improve the construction level of China's international ecotourism destinations and promote the in-depth development of China's global ecotourism; to solve the dilemma that China's ecotourism destinations are imperfectly constructed, and the brand can not go out; and to promote the enhancement of tourism concepts of international ecotourism destinations in the age of computers.
 METHODS: Firstly, the feasibility analysis of international ecotourism destination construction in the cloud computing era is carried out by using QCA analysis and histogram analysis; secondly, the relevant QCA model is established to analyze the influencing factors of international ecotourism destination construction; lastly, the tripartite game model is utilized to explore the benefits of international ecotourism destinations for the residents, the government, and the enterprises.
 RESULTS: The construction of international ecotourism destinations in China is feasible from the perspectives of functional spatial configuration, economic development, cultural tradition, and natural environment; the structure of international ecotourism destinations has an apparent positive driving effect on the construction sites; the tripartite game model shows that there are positive benefits not only for the residents, government, and enterprises but also for the related groups and tourists.
 CONCLUSION: From the full text of the study, the construction of international ecotourism destinations has a significant driving effect on China's economy; however, the tourism industry in the era of cloud computing needs to be further standardized, and the construction of international ecotourism destinations should be strengthened.

Unveiling trends in digital tourism research: A bibliometric analysis of co-citation and co-word analysis

Digital tourism has witnessed substantial evolution, shaping the trajectory of tourism research. Employing bibliometric analysis on 1,079 articles from the Web of Science database, this study identifies predominant themes and research trends in digital tourism. Key findings revealed three main co-citation clusters: ‘Smart tourism destinations and smart tourists', ‘Evolution and impact of E-tourism on travel behavior’, and ‘Personalized smart tourism experience’. Additionally, co-word analysis showcased prominent themes such as ‘AR-Integrated E-Tourism’, ‘Co-creation of smart tourism destinations in China post-COVID-19′, and ‘AI-driven personalized destination recommender systems in tourism’. The study highlights gaps in digital tourism research, advocating for socio-cultural preservation alongside tech advancements. Co-citation analysis suggests new travel theory directions, while AR's role in sustainable tourism is spotlighted. Practically, AI and Big Data emerge as pivotal in personalized experiences, with co-word analysis aiding industry foresight and emphasizing AI-driven, sustainable strategies. Limitations include reliance on a single database, suggesting future studies to integrate multiple sources and qualitative insights. The study's findings offer a roadmap for academics and practitioners, emphasizing potential avenues in digital tourism, especially in the context of sustainable and responsible practices.

Spatiotemporal Dynamic Analysis and Simulation Prediction of Land Use and Landscape Patterns from the Perspective of Sustainable Development in Tourist Cities

The unreasonable development of land use and use of landscape patterns are the primary causes of the unsustainable growth of tourism cities. Dawa District, a well-known tourist destination in China, was chosen as the research object in order to scientifically evaluate and simulate the dynamic changes in land use. Landsat remote sensing images of the Dawa District from 2011, 2016, and 2021 were processed, using the development of regional tourism in 2016 as the dividing point. Using Arcgis10.3, ENVI5.3, and Fragstats tools, GIS spatial analysis and landscape index analysis were used to explore the spatiotemporal dynamic characteristics of land use and landscape patterns. The CA-Markov model was used to simulate and predict the land use landscape pattern in 2026. The results show that the rapid expansion of built-up areas in 2011–2021 and the increasing marginal complexity and fragmentation of landscape patterns are the main evolution trends. In 2016, emphasis was placed on sustainable land resources, and the area of forested water gradually recovered. However, the patch density (PD) and number of patches (NP) indices reflecting fragmentation still showed a 1.5–2 fold increase. It is expected that in 2026, the dual pressure of urban development and ecological sustainable construction will enhance connectivity and aggregation, and the ecological environment will gradually recover. At the same time, the competition for various types of land will become increasingly prominent, and agricultural activities will be affected. In summary, optimization strategies are proposed from the perspectives of government, land, landscape, and industry, aiming to promote the sustainable development of land and landscape resources in tourist cities.

Metaverse in the urban destinations in China: some insights for the tourism players

PurposeAlthough the metaverse has gained popularity in recent days, research on metaverse tourism in urban destinations is still lacking. Drawing on existing cases in Chinese urban destinations, this paper aims to provide valuable insights into the development of metaverse tourism in China and provides managerial implications for future urbanmetaverse tourismplayers.Design/methodology/approachLiterature from Chinese and international sources was reviewed to highlight the current status of metaverse tourism in the context of Chinese urban tourism. This paper also draws on information provided by online materials, especially the official websites of tour organizers and news media.FindingsThis paper outlines important aspects of metaverse in Chinese urban tourism. First, cities are the hotbeds of metaverse development, and the metaverse has become a new way to attract urban tourists and a significant element in various exhibitions. Second, the combination of metaverse with China’s extensive and profound traditional culture has made urban tourism full of vitality. Third, China’s game companies are progressively empowering the metaverse tourism industry.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the existing knowledge on metaverse tourism based on the Chinese urban tourism context. Furthermore, it highlights the state of the metaverse in Chinese urban tourism during and after the pandemic situation. Lastly, it provides thoughtful implications for tourism players and future tourism development.

Study on the Correlation Characteristics between Scenic Byway Network Accessibility and Self-Driving Tourism Spatial Behavior in Western Sichuan

The scenic byways in Western Sichuan are some of the most popular self-driving tourism destinations in China. However, the current network of scenic byways in the region is not well-coordinated with the level of regional tourism development. This paper, based on travel digital footprints, uses methods such as spatial design network analysis, GIS spatial analysis, social network analysis models, and spatial econometric models to analyze the accessibility and self-driving tourism spatial behavior characteristics in Western Sichuan. The main research results are as follows: (1) the accessibility level of scenic byways in Western Sichuan exhibits significant spatial variation, with the majority of areas demonstrating moderate to poor accessibility; (2) the network structure of self-driving tourism spatial behavior displays characteristics of low overall network density, but with a high clustering coefficient and relatively short average path length, indicating a significant small-world phenomenon. All network node indicators exhibit significant heterogeneity, with the core nodes displaying clear clustering characteristics; (3) the accessibility of scenic byways and self-driving tourism spatial behavior exhibit significant spatial spillover effects. This study analyzes the relationship between the accessibility of scenic byways and self-driving tourism spatial behavior in Western Sichuan, providing valuable insights for the planning and construction of scenic byways and the development of self-driving tour routes.

How to Promote a Destination’s Sustainable Development? The Influence of Service Encounters on Tourists’ Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions

Destination is an important carrier for tourism activities to be carried out, and tourists are the main body of tourism activities. Service encounters are a crucial component of tourists’ experiences and an important factor affecting tourists’ attitudes and behavioral intentions. This research used the SOR model as the theoretical basis to analyze the dimensions of service encounters and the impact of service encounters on tourists’ attitudes and behavioral intentions toward a destination in China. The research results indicate that service encounters have multidimensional attributes. In addition to interpersonal service encounters, the service environment of tourism enterprises and the public service environment of the destination are also important components of service encounters. At the same time, service encounters have an impact on tourists’ attitudes and behavioral intentions. The research findings have implications for destination managers in terms of improving service quality and promoting the sustainable development of destinations.

Exploring destination image of dark tourism via analyzing user generated photos: A deep learning approach

Tourism destination image (TDI) in the dark tourism context is considered to be a complex and controversial, yet rarely studied issue in the literature. This study selected three types of dark tourism destinations in China to explore TDI through analyzing user generated photos via DeepSentiBank, a method based on deep convolutional neural networks. Based on a content analysis, this study identified 11 categories of cognitive images, and found that memorial space & sculptures, commemorative symbols, and historical events & place functions were the distinctive categories of cognitive images. Based on a sentiment analysis, it revealed 24 emotions of affective images, and found that negative emotions weighed more heavily than positive emotions in dark tourism destinations. Complex network analysis further revealed multiple inter-linked relationships between cognitive and affective attributes. This study contributes to photo-based sentiment analysis in tourism research, and the findings provide insights for TDI development and management for dark tourism destinations.

Impact of Urbanization on Eco-Efficiency of Tourism Destinations

Under the dual background of climate change and post-epidemic economic recovery, the study of the eco-efficiency of tourism destinations in the process of urbanization is critical to promoting the green and healthy development of tourism. This paper selects tourism destinations in 30 provinces of China in 2000–2019 as the research object, calculates the economic efficiency and eco-efficiency of China’s tourism destinations by constructing the Super-SBM (Slacks-Based Measure) model and visualizes the spatial distribution pattern and evolution trend of economic efficiency and eco-efficiency of China’s tourism destinations through spatial hotspot and center of gravity analysis. The coupling model is used to find the coupling relationship between the efficiency of China’s tourism destinations (economic efficiency and eco-efficiency) and urbanization. Finally, Tobit panel regression is used to find out how urbanization affects the eco-efficiency of tourism destinations. The results show that: (1) the eco-efficiency of tourism destinations in China is higher than the economic efficiency, as well as showing a downward trend. (2) The economic efficiency of tourism destinations in western China has increased while the eco-efficiency has declined. (3) China’s tourism destinations are undergoing the process of transformation and restructuring, and have not yet reached the decoupling standard. (4) On the whole, the improvement in urbanization is conducive to promoting the economic and environmentally sustainable development of tourism destinations. The main driving indicators are the living standards for urban residents, urban resources and environment, the industrial structure, and the role of the government. This study attempts to find a balance between the economic benefits and ecological impacts of tourism destinations and alleviate the real demand for the rapid economic recovery of tourism destinations in the post-epidemic era and the tension between human activities and the ecological environment. The research results are expected to provide a path for the healthy development of tourism destinations in the process of China’s new urbanization and provide a reference for tourism destinations in developing countries similar to China.

Measurement and determinants of smart destinations’ sustainable performance: a two-stage analysis using DEA-Tobit model

ABSTRACT With a two-stage analysis framework, this paper investigates how information communication technology can improve the sustainable performance of smart tourism destinations. It analyzes the impact of online attention (in the form of activity on a search engine) and the level of the digital economy on sustainable performance of smart tourism destinations, measured using an advanced data envelopment analysis model. The empirical results from 50 key smart tourism destinations in China show that: (1) the average value of smart destination performance from 2008 to 2019 is 0.74; (2) both online attention and digital economy have significant positive impacts on sustainable performance; (3) digital economy positively moderates the impact of online attention on sustainable performance; (4) undesirable outputs (air pollution) and tourist satisfaction are two factors that can be considered in measuring the sustainable performance of a destination.

Image perception of ice and snow tourism in China and the impact of the Winter Olympics.

This study analyzes image perceptions of ice and snow tourism destinations in China. Using network text analysis on data from several online travel platforms such as Ctrip, Qunar, and Meituan, it further investigated how the Winter Olympics impacts destination image. Results reveal the following 1) The development patterns of ice and snow attractions in northern and southern China are different. 2) Ice and snow tourism destination imagination in China is generally positive. 3) The 2022 Winter Olympics has no significant influence on the image perception of ice and snow tourism destinations. The Winter Olympics increases tourists' interest in ice and snow tourism, but the lagging development of service and management levels in scenic spots cannot match the sudden increase in visitors. This study provides a reference for researchers to recognize the image of China's ice and snow tourism destinations and suggests ways for policymakers to promote such tourism attractions.

A regulation for inappropriate interactions between local children and tourists in poor destinations - a child rights informed practice

Drawing upon evidence-based practices and child rights informed approach in tourism planning, policy making and destination management research, this study proposes a theoretical framework of child rights informed evidence-based practice in tourism regulation and policy making. It uses Azheke Village, a poor destination in China, as the case to fully elaborate the formulation and implementation process of a regulation with regard to inappropriate interactions between host children and tourists considering child rights. This study demonstrates how to listen and respond to local children’s perspectives and concerns into tourism regulation and policy making, which contributes to tourism research and practices on policy making.

Exploring temporal and spatial structure of tourism market through a big data approach: Whether geographic distance still matters?

The prevalence of tourism social media data offers a new approach to examining the tourism market structure beyond traditional methods. This paper aims to explore the spatiotemporal structure of the tourism market. A total of 75,295 tourist reviews of Sanya, a famous tropical coastal destination in China, were collected from five representative Chinese online travel agencies. Assisted by the innovative techniques of sentiment analysis and regression analysis, this paper examines the relationship between geographic and economic distance and the tourism market structure of Sanya city, represented by the tourists’ online attention and reputation. The findings show that the socioeconomic factors of the origins had a greater impact on the online attention of a destination. This study sheds light on how big data can be applied to verify traditional theories in tourism geography.

Exploring tourist citizenship behavior in wellness tourism destinations: The role of recovery perception and psychological ownership

Although tourist citizenship behavior (TCB) has attracted increasing scholarly attention, wellness tourism has remained relatively underexplored. Therefore, a theoretical framework was established, drawing on feelings-as-information theory to examine structural relationships among perceived restorativeness, tourist engagement, psychological ownership, and TCB. A total of 400 valid questionnaires, collected in two popular wellness tourism destinations in China, were analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling. The results indicated that perceived restorativeness and tourist engagement are significant predictors of psychological ownership and TCB. Moreover, psychological ownership exerts a significant effect on TCB and mediates the relationship between tourist engagement and TCB. Recovery perception plays a moderating role, enhancing the effect of tourist engagement on psychological ownership. This study marks a pioneering attempt to explore tourists’ TCB and its antecedent variables in the context of wellness tourism. Its practical implications for the promotion of TCB are discussed.

Agritourism experience value cocreation impact on the brand equity of rural tourism destinations in China

PropositusLa cocreación se ha convertido en una forma importante de mejorar el valor de marca de un destino turístico. A diferencia de los entornos turísticos comunes, el agroturismo tiene fuertes características participativas y productivas, y se considera una plataforma indispensable de cocreación de valor. Este artículo explora la relación entre la cocreación de valor de la experiencia de agroturismo y el valor de marca de los destinos de turismo rural desde la perspectiva de los turistas.Diseño/metodología/métodoSe realizó una encuesta y se recogieron 602 cuestionarios válidos mediante un muestreo aleatorioa en 2021. Se utilizó un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales para analizar empíricamente los datos.ResultadosLos resultados revelaron que la participación e interacción de los turistas y los comportamientos de la ciudadanía juegan un papel crítico en el valor de marca de destinos de turismo rural. La interacción de los turistas y los comportamientos de la ciudadanía impactaron el valor de marca de destinos de turismo rural a través del disfrute hedónico, la experiencia eudaimonia y el valor percibido de la experiencia. El comportamiento de participación de los turistas influyó en el valor de marca de los destinos de turismo rural a través de la experiencia hedónica de disfrute y el valor percibido de la experiencia.Originalidad/valorEste estudio, centrado en el agroturismo como plataforma importante para la cocreación de valor, explora el impacto de la cocreación de valor de la experiencia de agroturismo en el valor de marca de destinos de turismo rural desde la perspectiva de los turistas. Enriquece la literatura existente sobre la relación entre la cocreación de valor y el valor de marca de los destinos turisticos, expande la investigación sobre la cocreación de valor y la experiencia de felicidad, y ofrece también bases de gestión para promover el valor de marca de destinos de turismo rural.

Self-Identity Matters: An Extended Theory of Planned Behavior to Decode Tourists' Waste Sorting Intentions.

Waste sorting is a practical way of handling the garbage and an effective strategy for facilitating sustainable waste management. This research extended the theory of planned behavior (TPB) with self-identity and moral norms to predict waste sorting intentions in a heritage context of tourism. A total of 403 valid self-administrated questionnaires were achieved at a heritage destination in China. The results indicated that: (1) TPB variables (i.e., attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control), self-identity, and moral norms were all directly and positively linked to tourists' waste sorting intentions, respectively; (2) self-identity indirectly influenced tourists' waste sorting intentions through the mediation of moral norms; and (3) the integrated model exhibited better predictive utility than any single model. This research contributes to the literature on waste management in the context of tourism by extending TPB with identity and personal normative constructs. It also provides practical implications for destination managers to leverage tourists' self-identity and moral norms for sustainable management.

Destination Image Perception Mediated by Experience Quality: The Case of Qingzhou as an Emerging Destination in China

In recent years, the competition in the tourism market has become more and more fierce. Tourism destinations need to ensure they have sufficient sources of tourists, and thus, improving their market competitiveness, image, and reputation are particularly important. For this reason, tourism academia has always attached great importance to the study of tourism destination image. Many studies have shown that tourists’ travel behavior is largely influenced by their perception of tourism destinations. Research on heritage tourism from the supply perspective is relatively abundant, whereas not much research has been conducted on the demand side, and the influence of heritage tourism on the perception of a destination’s image has rarely been discussed. This study examines destination image perceptions through three components: cognition, affection, and quality of experience. We propose a conceptual model that clarifies how the quality of experience mediates the formation of cognition and affection with regard to emerging destinations in mainland China. This study employed the PLS-SEM discontinuous two-stage approach, which involved the examination of higher-order constructs (HOCs). The results from a sample of 475 visitors to the ancient city of Qingzhou in mainland China showed that cognition positively influences affection, and they both positively influence the overall image. Quality of experience was shown to be a mediating factor between cognition and affection. Moreover, the variables under quality of experience were confirmed to be consistent with those under cognition.

Competition and Quality: Evidence from High-Speed Railways and Airlines

Abstract The entry of High-Speed Railways (HSR) represents a disruptive competition to airlines. Utilizing a unique dataset of all flights departing from Beijing to 113 domestic destinations in China since January 2009, we employ a difference-in-differences approach to examine the effects of HSR entry on on-time performance and to identify the channels. We document two main findings. First, the entry of HSR leads to significant reductions in the mean and variance of travel delays on the affected airline routes. Second, the reductions in departure delays and taxi-in time at the destination airports are identified as the main channels.

The Influence Mechanism and Measurement of Tourists’ Authenticity Perception on the Sustainable Development of Rural Tourism—A Study Based on the 10 Most Popular Rural Tourism Destinations in China

Short-distance rural tourism has become a major form of tourism in China in recent years, as problems caused by urbanization emerge and because of the strict restrictions on the flow of people during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study takes the ten most popular rural tourism destinations in China from 2011 to 2021 as the research object. First, the grounded theory is used to construct the impact model of tourists’ authenticity perception on the sustainable development of rural tourism. The results show that tourists’ perception of rural tourism authenticity includes four dimensions, namely, visual perception, embodied perception, using perception, and interactive perception. With local attachment as the intermediary, authentic perception has a positive effect on the sustainable development of rural tourism, including economic sustainability, ecological sustainability, and cultural sustainability. In the early stage of tourism development, tourists mainly focus on visual authenticity. As tourists are deeply involved in rural tourism, they will pay more attention to interactive authenticity. Then, based on AHP, the measurement index was constructed and a questionnaire survey was conducted among ten villages to verify the effectiveness and universality of the model.

Research on the Impact of the Belt and Road Strategy on China’s Yunnan Tourism

Since ancient times, the Southern Silk Road and the Maritime Silk Road have carried economic, cultural and political functions, promoted regional economic and trade cooperation, and promoted regional cultural integration. Yunnan is the intersection of the Maritime Silk Road and the Land Silk Road, and its geographical and strategic location is of great significance. In recent years, the central government has put forward the “the Belt and Road (B&R) “ initiative. As one of the 13 provinces (municipalities directly under the Central Government) defined by the Silk Road Economic Belt, Yunnan has rich resource advantages, cultural advantages and regional advantages. Relying on its unique geographical advantages, rich natural resources and diverse folk culture, Yunnan has become one of the important tourist destinations in China. Especially with the deepening of the “B&R” initiative, Yunnan’s international status has become increasingly prominent. The “B&R” strategy is of great significance to the development of Yunnan’s tourism industry. On the one hand, it opens up markets for tourism, and on the other hand, it promotes the development of Yunnan’s tourism industry to face the world. Based on the current situation of the development of Yunnan’s tourism industry in the context of the “B&R” initiative, this paper analyzes the opportunities and challenges faced by the development of Yunnan’s tourism industry in the context of the “B&R” initiative, and finally puts forward effective development strategies for Yunnan’s tourism industry.

A influência da percepção rural na vontade dos turistas de revisitar localidades rurais: um estudo da aldeia folclórica de Ma Wei Yi, Província de Shaanxi, China

ABSTRACT: The development of rural tourism destinations in China is confronting multiple issues, including blind expansion and a repetitive developmental model, causing the sector to enter a vicious competition cycle. The perception among tourists of rural tourism destinations, and their willingness to revisit places will provide insights for service providers that will enable them to form better strategies to stand out in the fiercely competitive market. Understanding tourist perception will enable providers to contribute to the construction of rural tourist destinations. Taking Ma Wei Yi Folk Culture Village as a case study, this paper combines the development status of rural tourism in Ma Wei Yi, obtains first-hand data through questionnaire interviews, verifies the research hypothesis, and uses Pearson coefficient to carry out correlation analysis. The paper concluded that tourists’ rural perception has a positive and strong impact on their willingness to revisit, and its factors have different impacts. According to the empirical results, tourist destination providers should pay attention to rural perceptual development in their follow-up development and operation processes. They can effectively attract tourists to visit multiple times, enhance tourist’s sense of enjoyable experience, and achieve sustainable development.