Dynamics of Tourism Flows in Jiangxi, China: A Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Quantity and Quality Since 2000

Abstract

While tourism flows have been extensively studied in terms of their scale, the quality of tourism flows remains underexplored. However, studying only the scale and quantity of tourist flows makes it difficult to objectively assess their impact on the economic benefits of tourism. Based on international inbound tourist and foreign exchange income data in Jiangxi Province since 2000, this paper examines the characteristics of both the quantity and quality of tourist flows in terms of their temporal and spatial distribution. Spatial distribution maps and spatial centroid migration routes were created using ArcGIS. Additionally, a Python grey relational analysis was conducted on seven factors from four aspects that influence the quality of inbound tourist flows. The results show that: 1) The spatial development of inbound tourism flows exhibits an asynchrony between quantity and quality. This highlights the necessity for destinations to prioritize enhancing both quality and efficiency while expanding tourism scale; 2) While the regional disparities in the number of inbound tourists have widened, the regional disparities in the quality of tourism flows have diminished, indicating a significant shift in dynamics; 3) Public health crises like COVID-19 exert a decisive influence on the quantity of inbound tourism, whereas their impact on the quality of inbound tourism is relatively modest; 4) Economic development levels, degrees of openness to the global stage, and the quality and allure of tourist attractions play pivotal roles in facilitating the transformation of the economic benefits derived from tourism.