Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Domestic Tourist Flows and Tourism Industry Agglomeration in the Yangtze River Delta, China

Quanhong Xu, Paranee Boonchai () and Sutana Boonlua
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Quanhong Xu: Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, Mahasarakham University, Maung District, Mahasarakham 44000, Thailand
Paranee Boonchai: Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, Mahasarakham University, Maung District, Mahasarakham 44000, Thailand
Sutana Boonlua: Mahasarakham Business School, Mahasarakham University, Kantarawichai, Mahasarakham 44150, Thailand

Tourism and Hospitality, 2025, vol. 6, issue 4, 1-28

Abstract: The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region has experienced rapid development in its tourism industry, establishing itself as a leading force within China’s tourism sector. However, significant regional disparities continue to hinder its sustainable development. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach to analyze the spatiotemporal evolution of domestic tourist flows and tourism industry agglomeration patterns in the region. Using city-level data from 2016 to 2022, the analysis employs a comprehensive methodology including standard deviation, coefficient of variation, standard deviation ellipse, and locational entropy. The main findings are as follows: (1) In the pre-pandemic period (2016–2019), absolute disparities in tourist flows widened, whereas relative disparities narrowed. During the pandemic (2020–2022), absolute disparities decreased, while relative disparities initially increased before contracting. (2) Tourist flows displayed a southeast–northwest gradient, with high-value areas clustered along the southeastern coast. Standard deviation ellipse analysis reveals that tourist flows were primarily distributed along the eastern coastal corridor, parallel to the coastline. Prior to the pandemic, tourism growth showed a tendency toward spatial equilibrium; however, this trend was disrupted during the pandemic, resulting in a more decentralized spatial pattern. (3) Throughout the pandemic, tourism industry concentration increased significantly in most cities. Cities with renowned scenic attractions and diversified economic structures demonstrated stronger resilience, while those heavily reliant on tourism were more vulnerable to the pandemic’s effects.

Keywords: domestic tourist flows; tourism industry agglomeration; regional tourism disparities; spatiotemporal dynamics; the COVID-19 pandemic; the Yangtze River Delta (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Z3 Z30 Z31 Z32 Z33 Z38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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