Spatiotemporal coupling and coordinated development of rural revitalization and rural tourism in Jiangsu

Rural tourism is pivotal in addressing the unidirectional urban-to-rural flow of resources, such as labor migration. However, the interaction between rural tourism and rural revitalization in developed regions remains poorly understood. This study establishes an evaluation index system for rural revitalization and rural tourism, examining their interrelationship. Using the entropy method and coupling coordination degree model, we assess the development levels and coordination degrees of these aspects in Jiangsu Province from 2012 to 2023. Furthermore, the geographical detector model is utilized to pinpoint the primary drivers influencing this coordination. The findings are: (1) Both rural revitalization and tourism exhibit significant growth, with southern Jiangsu outperforming the north; (2) The coupling coordination between these systems has strengthened, indicating a profound symbiotic relationship; (3) Spatial distribution differences are notable, with the coupling coordination degree D value in southern Jiangsu being 26.4% higher than in the north. This disparity is primarily attributable to the wider urban-rural income gap and greater fiscal investment in southern Jiangsu. Notably, the traditional “resource dependence theory” appears ineffective in Jiangsu, as the density of rural tourism resources is relatively low. Accordingly, the study proposes differentiated policy recommendations: northern Jiangsu should focus on talent attraction and the integration of culture and tourism, while southern Jiangsu should explore mechanisms to facilitate the two-way flow of urban-rural elements. This research provides a theoretical framework for coordinating “policy-market” dynamics in the rural transformation of developed regions.