Integrating tourism supply-demand and environmental sensitivity into the tourism network identification of ecological functional zone

Li Li; Rundong Feng; Guoling Hou; Jianchao Xi; Ping Gao; Xiji Jiang

Ecological Indicators (Jan 2024)

Integrating tourism supply-demand and environmental sensitivity into the tourism network identification of ecological functional zone

Li Li,
Rundong Feng,
Guoling Hou,
Jianchao Xi,
Ping Gao,
Xiji Jiang

Affiliations

Li Li: School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China; Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
Rundong Feng: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Center for Geographic Analysis, Harvard University, Boston 02115, USA; Corresponding authors at: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China (R. Feng); School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China (G. Hou).
Guoling Hou: School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China; Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China; Corresponding authors at: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China (R. Feng); School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China (G. Hou).
Jianchao Xi: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Ping Gao: School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology, Beijing 102617, China
Xiji Jiang: College of Architecture, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Center for Geographic Analysis, Harvard University, Boston 02115, USA

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 158
p. 111505

Abstract

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One of the challenges facing ecological functional zones (EFZs) is achieving a balance between economic growth and environmental protection (management). Tourism presents an important avenue to tackle this challenge. However, research inadequately addresses the identification of tourism networks. Combining geo-referenced social media data analysis, the three-step floating catchment area method, and the minimum cumulative resistance model, this paper developed a multi-tiered mechanism for identifying tourism networks using scenic spots as nodes. This approach involved indicators like tourism potential (supply), tourists’ emotional appeal (demand), and ecological sensitivity. We employed the Taihang Mountains (THM), a representative EFZ, as an application case. Results indicate spatial heterogeneity in THM’s tourism potential, with higher tourism potential and relatively greater ecological sensitivity in the South and East THM. Furthermore, a substantial spatial mismatch in tourism demand and supply is evident, with South THM leading with a match of 0.29, while East THM recording the lowest match at 0.16. Based on this, this study identified a multi-level tourism development network having 34 tourism sources (9 primary sources, 13 secondary sources and 12 tertiary sources) and 51 corridors (11 primary corridors, 21 secondary corridors, and 19 tertiary corridors) consisted of a total length of 5,263 km, with an average length of 67 km. Our tourism networks have been tested to not only protect ecologically sensitive areas but also connect areas with economic advantages in tourism (i.e., South and East THM), which is conducive to achieving mutual benefits between tourism development and environmental protection. Our findings are conducive to improving the efficiency of tourism planning and management and provide a new path for coordinating EFZs’ conservation and development.

Published in Ecological Indicators

ISSN: 1470-160X (Print); 1872-7034 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General): Ecology
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/ecological-indicators

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