Agro-Tourism Integration and County-Level Sustainability: Mechanisms and Regional Heterogeneity in China

Qi Wang (), Xianhui Dang, Ting Song, Guangpeng Xiao and Yongqin Lu
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Qi Wang: School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, China
Xianhui Dang: School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, China
Ting Song: School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, China
Guangpeng Xiao: School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, China
Yongqin Lu: School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xihua University, Chengdu 610039, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-27

Abstract: The agro-tourism integration model combines agricultural production, rural life, and tourism experiences, bringing new opportunities for the sustainable development of counties. The objective of this study is to explore the impact of the agro-tourism integration on the sustainable development of counties, reveal the underlying mechanisms and regional heterogeneity effects, and provide a scientific basis for the formulation of rural revitalization policies. Based on panel data from 1749 counties in China from 2008 to 2021, an empirical test using a propensity score matching-difference-in-differences (PSM-DID) model found that the National Policy on Leisure Agriculture and Rural Tourism Demonstration Counties significantly enhances the level of sustainable development in counties through three mechanisms: stimulating consumer demand, attracting capital inflows, and optimizing industrial structure. Moreover, the effect is more pronounced in the western regions of China. In terms of theory, this study shifts the focus to the county level, constructing a comprehensive measurement index system for county-level sustainable development. It analyzes the mechanisms through which the integration of agriculture and tourism operates and verifies the policy effects. In terms of practice, policy implementations are proposed to adopt a multi-pronged approach to increase agricultural-tourism consumption; to promote government-enterprise cooperation and introduce long-term funding; and to develop the service industry in a location-specific manner to continuously optimize the industrial structure. This study indicates that agro-tourism integration is an effective path for the sustainable development of counties. The policy design needs to take into account the differences in regional resource endowments. This has important implications for promoting county-level development in a location-specific manner under the rural revitalization strategy.

Keywords: county-level sustainable development; agro-tourism integration; consumer demand; capital inflow; industrial structure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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