Pathways to High-Quality Tourism Development: An Integrated Analysis of Factor Endowment, Digital Transformation, and Institutional Quality
基于中国30个省份2010-2019年数据，运用面板回归和模糊集定性比较分析，发现数字化转型是高质量旅游发展的普遍驱动力，制度质量的影响因情境而异，要素禀赋或数字能力可弥补制度不足。
This study explores how factor endowment, digital transformation, and institutional quality influence high-quality tourism economic development through the lens of endogenous growth theory. Using data from 30 Chinese provinces (2010–2019), it applies panel regression and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to identify key drivers. Findings reveal three distinct pathways to high-quality tourism economic development, with digital transformation emerging as a universal driver, even in regions with weak institutional support. Challenging conventional institutional perspectives, we demonstrate that institutional quality’s impact is not uniformly positive but context-dependent. Strong digital capabilities or abundant resources can effectively compensate for institutional weaknesses. The study extends endogenous growth theory to tourism and offers valuable guidance for policymakers to optimize resource allocation, accelerate digital transformation, strengthen institutional frameworks, and promote region-specific tourism strategies while fostering regional integration to ensure sustainable and high-quality tourism economic development.