Exploring the Comprehensive Evaluation of Sustainable Development in Rural Tourism: A Perspective and Method Based on the AVC Theory

Lili Liu, Ruonan Wu, Yuanrong Lou, Pingping Luo (), Yan Sun (), Bin He, Maochuan Hu and Srikantha Herath
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Lili Liu: School of Architecture, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710061, China
Ruonan Wu: School of Architecture, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710061, China
Yuanrong Lou: School of Architecture, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710061, China
Pingping Luo: School of Water and Environment, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Yan Sun: National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-Environmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-Environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
Bin He: National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-Environmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-Environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
Maochuan Hu: School of Civil Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Srikantha Herath: National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-Environmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-Environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 7, 1-20

Abstract: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a surge in rural tourism, catering to consumers during the pandemic. However, rural tourism faces severe issues of homogeneity and environmental degradation owing to excessive development. Sustainable development of rural tourism is an urgent problem. This study, based on the average variable cost (AVC) theory, aims to explore the sustainable development of rural tourism landscapes with a focus on the Shijing area. A landscape evaluation system was established through factor analysis and weight calculations, with ten principal components contributing to a cumulative contribution rate of 77.196%. The weighted values for attractiveness, vitality, and resilience were 0.539, 0.297, and 0.164, respectively. The findings indicate that Caijiapo Village had the highest comprehensive score of 88.79 (good level of performance), whereas Laoyukou Village had the lowest comprehensive score of 80.25 (average level of performance). Caijiapo and Liyukou exhibited the strongest overall strength, whereas Liyuanpo and Xiazhuang had moderate overall strength, and Laoyukou had the weakest overall strength. The results reveal that all five villages possess rich natural landscapes and favorable geographical conditions, demonstrating the potential and attractiveness of rural tourism development. However, the overall carrying capacity was moderate and vitality was relatively weak. This supports the AVC theory application in rural tourism research and emphasizes the importance of rural landscape quality and economic vitality. The main contributions of this study are as follows: (1) the establishment of a rural tourism landscape evaluation system based on the AVC theory, providing a scientific assessment method for sustainable development; (2) the case evaluation in the Shiying area provides decision-makers with reference for development strategies; (3) emphasis on the importance of ecological conservation in rural tourism and providing recommendations to address issues of homogenization and environmental degradation.

Keywords: AVC theory; rural tourism; sustainable development; rural landscape; landscape evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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