Evaluation and Development Path Optimization of Rural Low-Altitude Tourism Using a Triangular Fuzzy TOPSIS Approach

Rural low-altitude tourism serves as an important carrier for the deep integration of general aviation technology and agricultural culture and tourism, driven by the comprehensive promotion of the rural revitalization strategy and the accelerated rise of the low-altitude economy. However, systematic sustainability assessment tools suitable for complex rural scenes remain lacking. This study aimed to fill this gap and constructed a multi-dimensional evaluation framework. The framework included five main dimensions: the integration of low-altitude general technology and digital infrastructure, the digital protection and activation of rural cultural heritage, the economic and social benefits of agricultural culture and tourism integration, ecological coordination and community inclusiveness, and airspace governance and policy support. Twenty-one secondary indicators supplemented these dimensions. The triangular fuzzy number-TOPSIS group decision method determined the indicator weights and reduced subjective uncertainty in expert evaluation. The TOPSIS method quantitatively evaluated and ranked five typical villages: Anji in Zhejiang, Yangshuo in Guangxi, Yuanjiajie in Hunan, Nantai in Gansu, and Lingshui in Hainan. The results show that Zhejiang Anji leads in comprehensive sustainability, followed by Hunan Yuanjiajie and Guangxi Yangshuo. Sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of the ranking results. The innovation of this research lies in the integration of frontier elements such as airspace synergy efficiency into the evaluation framework. The application of triangular fuzzy number TOPSIS enhances the methodological rigor and robustness of the evaluation. This study provides practical insights for optimizing rural low-altitude tourism resource allocation, strengthening cultural heritage transmission, and promoting green transformation.