High-quality economic development has always been a prominent topic in various economic and social disciplines, thus attracting extensive attention from scholars in agriculture, manufacturing, industry, and forestry. The academic circle mainly defines high-quality development from four perspectives. First, we explain high-quality development from the perspective of the five development concepts of innovation, coordination, green, openness, and sharing (Shi et al. 2021). This perspective asserts that high-quality development is the only way to solve unbalanced and inadequate economic development. Moreover, the core of such development is to protect the ecology through green development, solve economic imbalances through coordinated development, provide impetus through innovative development, promote internal and external linkages through open development, and improve people’s well-being through shared development (Lu et al. 2022). Second, we explain high-quality development from the perspective of supply and demand. The focus of development is on the supply side. Hence, problems regarding quality and efficiency, insufficient effective supply, excess ineffective production capacity, and insufficient motivation must be addressed. At the supply level, optimization toward high-quality development faces several production constraints. Therefore, the industrial optimization path needs to be executed from two levels: constraints and goals. Third, we explain high-quality development from the perspective of the main contradiction of social development (Jin et al. 2018). High-quality development refers to the economic development mode, structure, and dynamic state that can meet the real growing needs of the people. As such, this development aims to improve people’s lives (Zhang et al. 2019). Fourth, we explain high-quality development on the basis of economic theory. On the one hand, the motivation, importance, and specific requirements of high-quality development are analyzed using technological innovation theory, social reproduction theory, and productivity theory (Chao et al. 2018). On the other hand, this development is defined with political economy as the core theoretical logic. From the perspective of realistic value judgment, quality at the micro level requires the minimization of production costs and the maximization of benefits. At the medium and macro levels, the cost of economic development must be minimized (Ren et al. 2018).
The academic community has measured and evaluated the high-quality development level of the tourism industry. Drawing from their ideas, we propose two solutions for the current issue. First, we develop an evaluation index system for the high-quality development of the tourism industry. This system is guided by the five development concepts of innovation, coordination, greenness, openness, and sharing. Zhong and Li (2022) emphasized that the high-quality development of the industry entails strong economic vitality. Similarly, Yan and Hu (2022) formulated an evaluation index system from the seven dimensions of industrial development vitality, innovative development, coordinated development, green development, open development, shared development, and effective development. Second, we formulate an evaluation index system for the high-quality development of the tourism industry from the perspective of industrial structure. The quality of tourism development is a comprehensive quality characteristic that is formed by the coupling of different dimensions of tourism development elements in geographical space, including tourism-related products, services, markets, facilities, and environment. Shu et al. (2022) combined the characteristics of high-quality development from the perspective of structure. They constructed an evaluation index system from the five dimensions of tourism industry structure scale, rationalization, advanced quantity, quality, and benefit performance. In addition, Geng and Wang (2023) evaluated the coupling level of tourism and economic development from the aspects of a tourism industry development system and a high-quality economic development system.
The academic community has not yet reached a unified conclusion regarding high-quality economic development. The analysis dimensions include development concepts, supply and demand relations, social contradictions, and economic theory. Research on the high-quality development of tourism was formed on the basis of the research results of Li (2022), Yan (2022), Shu (2022), et al. However, the construction of the evaluation index system has not yet been completed. Aiming at the construction of an evaluation index system for the high-quality development of the tourism industry, the mainstream paradigm in the current academic circle seeks to discuss the five development concepts of innovation, coordination, greenness, openness, and sharing as the core. Although measuring the development level on the basis of these five concepts can help determine whether the tourism industry has achieved high economic development, this method still lacks a structural analysis. Therefore, this study will closely combine the five development concepts of innovation, coordination, greenness, openness, and sharing and fully consider the industrial structural development process to build an evaluation index system for the high-quality development of the tourism industry. This research has selected western China as the sample area to analyze the development level and bottlenecks of the tourism industry in minority areas. The marginal contribution of this study includes the following two aspects. In terms of theory, an evaluation index system to assess the high-quality development of the tourism industry should be formulated to cover the development elements of the tourism field as comprehensively as possible. In turn, this system can guide the further development of the industry. In terms of practice, this study will analyze the changes in the development levels of the tourism industry during major global public events. This analysis will provide support for the development direction of the tourism industry and the improvement of its resilience.
Construction of the measurement index system
According to Chao and Xue (2018), the theory of technological innovation provides the basis for high-quality development. The theory of technological innovation mainly provides a basis for studying the process of economic development at the micro level. In addition, Ren (2018) pointed out that the improvement of factors needs to aim for the transformation of technical conditions. Moreover, enhancing the product quality depends on the quality of production factors, and the research and development and transformation of production technology play an important role in realizing product upgrading. These enhancements will help to promote the transformation of advanced technology into the production process.
Social reproduction theory can help provide a comprehensive analysis of the balance of economic development. This theory emphasizes the production process of continuous renewal and development, including the four links of production, distribution, exchange, and consumption. Production and exchange belong to the supply side category, while distribution and consumption belong to the demand side category. The purpose of production is consumption, while distribution and exchange are the intermediate links that promote production into consumption. The interrelationships and interactions between the four links reflect the dialectical and unified relationship of the overall process of social production. Peng et al. (2022) pointed out that social reproduction is a dynamic and continuous improvement process. The production link plays a decisive role in economic and social development. In addition, distribution and exchange are the bridges that connect supply and demand. Within this process, quality development requires continuous optimization and adjustment of the supply structure.
Productivity is the ability of people to create consumer goods to meet their own needs. It reflects the relationship between humans and nature. Productivity also constitutes the logical starting point for examining the historical process. The basic requirement of productivity theory is to achieve efficient allocation of different types of elements. Within this theory, the development level of productivity is the basic measure that is used to determine the stage of economic and social development. Furthermore, the theory reveals that modern economic construction needs to pay attention to harmonious development with the ecology and puts forward essential requirements for the realization of high-quality economic development at the macro level and at the root of social development.
Through a comparative analysis of technological innovation theory, social reproduction theory, and productivity theory, technological innovation theory has been found to be the most instructive for the production of products by microenterprises. Meanwhile, productivity theory mainly puts forward requirements for high-quality economic development goals from a macro perspective. Given the diversity of tourism products and the uncertainty of tourism consumption objects, the tourism industry is dynamic and highly comprehensive. Moreover, the development of the industry is difficult to measure from the micro level accurately. Meanwhile, evaluating the development level of the industry from the macro level covers the unique chain compound characteristics of tourism. Compared with the microscopic characteristics of technological innovation theory and the macroscopic characteristics of productivity theory, social reproduction theory has more mesoscopic characteristics. As such, using social reproduction theory as the core to analyze the high-quality development level of the tourism industry has an important guiding role in the in-depth analysis of the development process of the field.
The construction of the evaluation index system for the high-quality development of the tourism industry needs to be based on the definition of high-quality development. Drawing on the studies of Sun et al. (2022) and Shu et al. (2022), which have applied the theory of social reproduction, the current research perfects the evaluation index system for managing the high-quality development level of the tourism industry, which is helpful for enriching the academic circle and the field of tourism development. The research results have the following innovations. First, it puts forward a comprehensive design for an indicator system. This study considers the five aspects of high-quality development, namely, innovation, coordination, green, openness, and sharing, in the design of the index system. Second, the design of the system has scientific basis. Guided by the theory of social reproduction, this study focuses on the four links of production, distribution, exchange, and consumption. Through this approach, the evaluation index system can scientifically evaluate the current high-quality development of the tourism industry. Third, our proposed index was designed systematically. Incorporating the production link in the theory of social reproduction into the input dimension includes the two criterion layers of factor input and innovation input. The input dimension measures the input of production factors and the input innovation in the tourism industry. The distribution link and the exchange link are incorporated into the process dimension, which includes the three criterion layers of coordinated development, green development, and industrial structure. The process dimension measures the main performance in the process of tourism industry development and upgrading, thus reflecting the main impact of tourism industry development. Incorporating the consumption link into the output dimension includes three levels of principles: open development, shared development, and effective development. The output dimension measures the comprehensive benefits brought about by the development of the tourism industry. Table 1 shows the eight criterion layers included in the indicator system, namely, 15 first-level indicators and 30 second-level indicators.
Table 1
Evaluation index system for the high-quality development of the tourism industry
Dimension | Guideline layer | Weight | Indicator layer | Weights | Reference |
Level 1 indicators | Level 2 indicators |
Inputs | Elemental inputs | 0.0746 | Labor input | Number of employees in the tourism industry | v1 | 0.0370 | Zhang A et al (2015) Zhao X et al (2022) |
Capital investment | Fixed asset investment in tourism industry | v2 | 0.0376 | Yan Y et al (2022) |
Innovation investment | 0.1178 | Drive innovation | R&D expenditure intensity | v3 | 0.0460 | Yan Y et al (2022) Wang L et al (2023) |
Number of patents granted | v4 | 0.0718 |
Process | Coordinated development | 0.0691 | Regional coordination | Regional per capita expenditure on general public services | v5 | 0.0230 | Yan Y et al (2022) Geng S et al (2023) Zhao X et al (2022) |
Passenger turnover | v6 | 0.0232 |
Urban and rural coordination | Urbanization level | v7 | 0.0127 | Yan Y et al (2022) |
Per capita disposable income ratio of urban and rural residents | v8 | 0.0102 |
ECO development | 0.0818 | Environmental Protection | Forest cover rate | v9 | 0.0381 | Zhang A et al (2015) Zhao et al (2022) Li D et al (2022) Wang L et al (2023) |
Green coverage rate of built-up area | v10 | 0.0077 |
Environmental Governance | Number of public transport vehicles per 10,000 people | v11 | 0.0220 | Li D et al (2022) Zhang A et al (2015) |
Number of days with air quality above grade two in major cities | v12 | 0.0092 |
Harmless treatment rate of domestic waste | v13 | 0.0048 |
Industrial structure | 0.1336 | Industrial structure scale | Total scale of tourism enterprises | v14 | 0.0198 | Shu B et al (2022) |
Advanced industrial structure | Tourism income / Output value of the tertiary industry | v15 | 0.0310 | Zhong Y et al (2022) Shu B et al (2022) Tang R (2022) |
Per Capita Tourism Industry Added Value | v16 | 0.0828 |
Outputs | Open development | 0.1700 | Open to the outside world | Number of Inbound Tourists | v17 | 0.0771 | Zhao X et al (2022) Li D et al (2022) Zhong Y et al (2022) Wang L et al (2023) |
Ratio of foreign income to total tourism income | v18 | 0.0490 |
Cultural dissemination | Museum | v19 | 0.0264 | Sun X et al. (2022) |
Cultural Center | v20 | 0.0175 |
Shared development | 0.1923 | Infrastructure | Railway operating mileage | v21 | 0.0354 | Yan Y et al (2022) |
Highway operating mileage | v22 | 0.0190 |
Urban environmental infrastructure construction investment / GDP | v23 | 0.0274 |
Quality of life | Tourism employment contribution | v24 | 0.1078 | Xu Y et al (2023) Yan Y et al (2022) Wang L et al (2023) |
Urban Residents Tourism Income Elasticity | v25 | 0.0011 |
The elasticity of tourism income of rural residents | v26 | 0.0015 |
Effective development | 0.1607 | Development efficiency | Tourism labor productivity | v27 | 0.0360 | Xu Y et al (2023) Geng S et al (2023) |
Tourism capital output rate | v28 | 0.0385 |
Average room occupancy rate of star hotels | v29 | 0.0108 |
Quality of development | Tourism economic growth model | v30 | 0.0754 | Yan Y et al (2022) |