Empirical Research into the Development Mechanism of Industry Innovation of Health and Wellness Tourism in the Context of the Sharing Economy

Abstract

Health and wellness tourism has become an emerging form of tourism economy. In the era of the sharing economy, it is of theoretical and practical significance to study the development mechanism of the industry innovation (II) of health and wellness tourism. Based on theoretical analysis, hypotheses were proposed for the relationships of industry sharing (IS) as well as its constitutional dimensions with the resource acquisition capability (RAC), policy support (PS), and II of health and wellness tourism. The constitutional dimensions of IS include public operational resources (PORs), infrastructures, and industry cooperation networks (ICNs). In addition, a model for the influencing mechanism of IS on the II of health and wellness tourism was established. Questionnaire surveys were conducted with 542 managers of health and wellness tourism enterprises in 21 provinces (or municipalities) in China, using the empirical research method, and the survey data are subjected to mathematical statistical analysis. Results show that the PORs, infrastructures, and ICNs of the IS of health and wellness tourism have significant positive influences on the II. RAC has a partial mediating effect between the IS and the II of health and wellness tourism. PS exerts a moderating effect between the IS and the II of health and wellness tourism. Finally, suggestions for promoting the II development of health and wellness tourism are proposed from the perspective of optimizing IS.