Spatio-temporal evolution and influencing factors of culture and tourism integration efficiency in Shandong Province, China under high-quality development

Improving culture and tourism integration efficiency is an important way to promote the high-quality development of cultural tourism. According to the inherent requirements of high-quality development, this paper constructed an evaluation indicator system for culture and tourism integration efficiency. Then, the culture and tourism integration efficiency of 16 cities in Shandong Province, China during the period from 2010 to 2019 was measured with the benevolent DEA cross-efficiency model. On the basis of exploratory spatial data analysis and dynamic spatial Durbin model, we explored the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics and influencing factors of culture and tourism integration efficiency in Shandong Province. The results show that from 2010 to 2019, the culture and tourism integration efficiency in Shandong Province has experienced three stages of "rapid growth-rapid decline-stable rise period". The spatial pattern has changed from "high in the east and low in the west" to "high in the central and low in the north and south", and regions with high integration efficiency are mainly concentrated in Jiaodong Peninsula. The level of economic development significantly promotes the culture and tourism integration efficiency in local and neighboring cities in the short and long term, while policy environment has a significant negative impact. Traffic conditions and human capital only promote the culture and tourism integration efficiency in local cities. The level of information development and openness degree only have a long-term effect on the culture and tourism integration efficiency, without short-term effect. The research results are of great significance to improve the growth quality and sustainable development of cultural tourism in Shandong Province. Our work could provide a scientific basis for maximizing the allocation benefits of cultural and tourism resources in similar regions in the world.