New infrastructure construction and tourism development quality: evidence from the construction of high-speed rail in China
摘要
This paper constructs an evaluation index system for provincial tourism development quality (TDQ) in China using the Delphi method, applies entropy-weighted TOPSIS and related techniques to measure TDQ across provinces, and employs a staggered difference-in-differences model to examine the impact of high-speed rail (HSR) on provincial tourism development. The findings indicate that HSR significantly enhances TDQ by strengthening local tourism agglomeration and alleviating the misallocation of labor resources. Further analysis reveals that capital, human, and knowledge resource endowments amplify the positive effect of HSR on TDQ. At the same time, the promoting effect of HSR on TDQ exhibits a center-strengthening effect rather than a siphon effect. In addition, HSR can narrow interprovincial disparities in tourism benefits. Accordingly, optimizing the spatial layout of the HSR network and improving complementary policy support are essential for enhancing overall TDQ and achieving sustainable regional tourism growth.