IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i14p6430-d1701128.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mapping Spatial Interconnections with Distances for Evaluating the Development Value of Eco-Tourism Resources

Author

Listed:
  • Wenqi Zhang

    (School of Soil and Water Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China)

  • Huanfeng Cui

    (School of Soil and Water Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China)

  • Xiaoyuan Huang

    (School of Economics and Management, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China)

  • Ruliang Zhou

    (School of Soil and Water Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China)

  • Yanxia Wang

    (School of Soil and Water Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China)

Abstract

The sustainable development of eco-tourism is significantly influenced by multiple conditions within spatiotemporally continuous geographic scenarios. However, existing evaluations of the development value of eco-tourism resources (Eco-TRDVs) are non-spatial and do not sensitively represent their complex relationships. This study proposed a GIS approach for evaluating regional Eco-TRDVs by mapping the complex interconnections with spatial distances. Inherent and external conditions for evaluating Eco-TRDVs were classified under three indicators and digitized using GIS and remote sensing technologies. Then, the analytic hierarchy process and GIS cost distance analysis were introduced to define the initial values and cumulate Eco-TRDVs with distances. Taking the Taihang Honggu National Forest Park, China, as the case area, the Eco-TRDVs over the entire area in 2017 and 2020 were mapped. The results present a continuous spatial variability of Eco-TRDVs and comprehensively reflect the complex interconnections of constraint elements with spatial distances. The evaluation is sensitive to the intrinsic value of poles, as evidenced by the high development values and high-density distribution of their contours. Source additions improve the evaluation considerably, with transportation networks having a greater impact than economic development zones and urban elements. Furthermore, aggravated fragmentation of the price flow field increases spatial heterogeneity. The development value shows a negative linear correlation with distance. The proposed approach handles the spatially oriented relationships of the multi-conditions, and supports future planning and monitoring of spatial-temporal changes in eco-tourism development.

Suggested Citation

  • Wenqi Zhang & Huanfeng Cui & Xiaoyuan Huang & Ruliang Zhou & Yanxia Wang, 2025. "Mapping Spatial Interconnections with Distances for Evaluating the Development Value of Eco-Tourism Resources," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-24, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:14:p:6430-:d:1701128
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/14/6430/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/14/6430/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hakan Sezerel & Deniz Karagoz, 2023. "The Challenges of Sustainable Tourism Development in Special Environmental Protected Areas: Local Resident Perceptions in Datça-Bozburun," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-23, February.
    2. Peer Jeelani & Shamim Ahmad Shah & Sajad Nabi Dar & Huma Rashid, 2023. "Sustainability constructs of mountain tourism development: the evaluation of stakeholders’ perception using SUS-TAS," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(8), pages 8299-8317, August.
    3. Yu Zhang & Ning Cao, 2022. "A Model and Its Application of Quantitative Evaluation for Exploitable Value of Hot Spring Landscape Resources," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, Hindawi, vol. 2022, pages 1-11, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Igor Trišić & Eldin Brđanin & Nevena Majstorović & Adina Nicoleta Candrea & Snežana Štetić & Florin Nechita & Jelena Premović, 2024. "Importance of the Ramsar Site Labudovo Okno for Sustainable Tourism—Evidence from Vojvodina Province," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-19, February.
    2. Brankica Tabak & Igor Trišić & Snežana Štetić & Florin Nechita & Mirjana Ilić & Milica Obadović & Ada Ioana Dobrescu, 2025. "Economic and Socio-Cultural Development Dimension—Two Lake-Protected Areas’ Sustainability: A Case of Hungary and Serbia," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-19, February.
    3. Vladica Ristić & Igor Trišić & Snežana Štetić & Marija Maksin & Florin Nechita & Adina Nicoleta Candrea & Marko Pavlović & Andreea Hertanu, 2024. "Institutional, Ecological, Economic, and Socio-Cultural Sustainability—Evidence from Ponjavica Nature Park," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-19, May.
    4. Antolini, Fabrizio & Terraglia, Ivan & Cesarini, Samuele, 2024. "Integrating multiple data sources to measure sustainable tourism in Italian regions," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    5. Ana Luque & Luiz Alves, 2024. "The Importance of Automatic Counters for Sustainable Management in Rural Areas: The Case of Hiking Trails in Historic Villages of Portugal," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-19, December.
    6. Sergi Cerezo-Esteve & Xavier De Blas & Francesc Solanellas, 2024. "The Social Impact of Sports Habits on Sustainable Tourism Perceptions: A Case Study in Alt Urgell," Societies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-14, December.
    7. Maja Mijatov Ladičorbić & Aleksandra S. Dragin & Tamara Surla & Aleksandra Tešin & Juan Manuel Amezcua-Ogáyar & Alberto Calahorro-López & Vladimir Stojanović & Zrinka Zadel & Kristina Košić & Olja Mun, 2024. "Towards Healthy and Sustainable Human Settlement: Understanding How Local Communities Perceive and Engage with Spa Tourism Development Initiatives in Rural Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-19, November.
    8. Thoker, Irshad Ahmad & Bhat, M. Shafi & Shah, Shamim Ahmad & Lone, Fayaz Ahmad & Jeelani, Peer, 2024. "An appraisal of people's participation in the joint forest management programme in the Kashmir Himalayas," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    9. Igor Trišić & Snežana Štetić & Adina Nicoleta Candrea & Florin Nechita & Manuela Apetrei & Marko Pavlović & Tijana Stojanović & Marija Perić, 2024. "The Impact of Sustainable Tourism on Resident and Visitor Satisfaction—The Case of the Special Nature Reserve “Titelski Breg”, Vojvodina," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-16, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:14:p:6430-:d:1701128. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.