EVALUATION SYSTEM OF GREEN TOURISM INDUSTRY

This study contributes to understanding the dynamic evolution process of green tourism industry, for which the evaluation system is constructed combining stakeholder theory with the characteristic of green tourism industry. Data from Mainland China from 2011 to 2017 are used to build the evaluation system of green tourism industry. The data are also analyzed comprehensively by applying entropy weighted TOPSIS and geospatial visualization. Following a horizontal comparison between provinces in Mainland China and a longitudinal comparison of the development history of these provinces, results show that the development of green tourism presents regional differences. Developed areas in the eastern region are superior to that in central and western regions in Mainland China. Interestingly, the relationship between green tourism development and the economy is nonlinear. Green tourism resources, traffic accessibility, macroeconomic development level, and tourists' characteristics will affect the development potential of green tourism. Ultimately, this study brings managerial implications to the development of green tourism.