Can Digital Economy Promote Innovation of the Tourism Industry? Empirical Evidence From China

Xue-Jun Chen, Min Zhou, Chun-Miao Zhang, Xiao-Peng Ling and Yu-Feng Zhang

SAGE Open, 2025, vol. 15, issue 2, 21582440251342881

Abstract: In the era of the digital economy (DE), the development paradigm of the tourism industry is facing subversive changes. The DE has become a key factor in promoting the innovation and development of the tourism industry. Under this new environment, studying the mechanism by which DE affects the innovation and development of the tourism industry is of great theoretical value and practical significance. Building on literature research, this paper uses theoretical analysis to construct a theoretical model of the innovation and development mechanism of the tourism industry enabled by DE. Using empirical research methods, we selected panel data from 30 provinces in China for benchmark regression analysis and mediation effect analysis. The results show that DE significantly impacts the innovation and development of the tourism industry. Resource acquisition ability plays a partial intermediary role, and the policy environment (PE) plays a moderating role between DE and tourism industry innovation. Finally, the paper puts forward countermeasures and suggestions from the aspects of developing the DE, improving resource acquisition ability, and optimizing PE to promote the innovation and development of the tourism industry.

Keywords: digital economy; tourism industry; innovation; resource acquisition capability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:sagope:v:15:y:2025:i:2:p:21582440251342881

DOI: 10.1177/21582440251342881

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