Synergistic Characteristics of the Digital Economy and High-Quality Tourism Development: Evidence from 31 Provinces in China Based on the Entropy Weight Method and Coupling Coordination Model

With the rapid expansion of the global digital economy, the high-quality evolution of the tourism sector is facing new challenges. Research that explores the interaction between the progress of the digital economy and the basic mechanisms of high-quality tourism development and combined coordination is of great academic and practical value. In this study, we will empirically examine the high-quality development level of China’s tourism industry by utilising the entropy measurement method and the sugar content level model. Utilizing national panel data spanning from 2015 to 2024, the research assesses the overall developmental trajectory and key influencing factors. The findings indicate that: (1) From 2015 to 2024, both the digital economy and high-quality tourism development levels showed a steady upward trend, experiencing a brief dip in 2020 due to external shocks before rebounding strongly, forming a symbiotic situation of mutual drive and support. (2) The coupling coordination degree of the two has gradually increased from “severe imbalance” to “high-quality coordination,” rising from 0.100 in 2015 to 0.995 in 2024, undergoing a complete evolution, with 2021 as the key turning point for the system to enter a virtuous cycle. In response, this study proposes strengthening digital infrastructure, promoting business innovation, and optimising policy coordination to advance the synergistic development of the two further.