The spatial-temporal pattern evolution and influencing factors of county-scale tourism efficiency in Xinjiang, China

Abstract

Abstract Scientific evaluation of the development efficiency of the regional tourism industry has important practical significance in promoting the high-quality development of the industry. This study calculated the county tourism efficiency and total factor productivity (TFP) for 86 counties and cities in Xinjiang, China, from 2011 to 2019 based on the SBM-data envelopment analysis model and the Malmquist productivity index model, which determines the respective temporal changes and spatial differences. The factors affecting the evolution of the spatial–temporal pattern of the tourism industry efficiency were also analyzed using the geographic detector model. The results show that: (1) The average tourism efficiency of Xinjiang county from 2011 to 2019 was at a low level of 0.382. During the study period, the evolution trend of the tourism efficiency fluctuated. There was a positive spatial autocorrelation in the tourism efficiency. The difference between cold and hot spots was evident by “hot-in-the-north and cold-in-the-South” characteristics. (2) The TFP maintained an upward trend during the research period, with an average annual growth rate of 28.7%. The number of counties and cities with an increased TFP was much higher than those with a decreased TFP, and its growth was mainly attributed to the progress of technical efficiency. (3) The county tourism efficiency was mainly affected by the level of economic development, tourism resource endowment, market scale, and government policies. There were large differences in the intensity and space among various influencing factors. During the research period, the influence of the economic development level and market scale gradually weakened, and the influence of tourism resource endowment and government policies continuously strengthened.