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›› 2017, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (3): 664-670.

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Spatial analysis of tourism economy disparity of less developed areas in Northwest China

PENG Rui-juan   

  1. Tourism College of Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
  • Received:2016-09-03 Revised:2017-02-01 Online:2017-05-25

Abstract: Gansu Province is located in northwest China,and its economy lags behind many other provinces. In recent years,in order to promote the steady growth of regional economy and improve the ecological environment, Gansu Province is committed to cultivating tourism as a strategic pillar industry of national economy and a modern service industry that satisfies the needs of the people. Taking 14 cities as the research unit of Gansu Province, adopting method of ESDA combined with GIS software as the platform,and selecting per capita tourism income as a measure index,this paper analyzed the spatial characteristics of tourism economic development in Gansu Province from 2003 to 2014. According to the global spatial autocorrelation analysis,Moran's I for per capita tourism income increased from 0.003 12 in 2003 to 0.199 8 in 2014,indicating that the per capita tourism income presented a significant characteristic of spatial agglomeration in space. The results of local spatial autocorrelation analysis indicate that the spatial distribution pattern of the tourism economic development level had not been fundamentally changed with the improvement of the overall development level of the tourism economy in Gansu province. Hot spots of tourism have been distributing steadily in the Hexi Corridor Area(especially in Jiuquan and Zhangye,etc.)for quite a long time,while cold spots rest in other cities. Due to the factors such as the abundance of tourism resources,the location of tourism economy and the stage of regional economic development,the spatial structure of tourism has formed an“umbrella-shaped”structure of Gansu Province,with Jiuquan, Zhangye,Lanzhou and Tianshui locating in the trunk,whose speed of tourism development is fast and advanced, and the rest cities mainly in both ends,whose development is at a relatively low speed. Gansu Province has a long history,profound cultural traditions,numerous nationalities,intercommunication and syncretism of pluralistic culture and unique topography and terrain,which together constitute the local characteristic tourism resources, such as the humanistic tourism resources represented by Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang,natural tourism resources symbolized by Sangke grassland,Yellow River stone forest in Baiyin,the July 1 glacier in Jiayuguan,and the ethnic customs in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture. For the sake of enhancing the overall competitiveness of the regional tourism industry,Gansu Province should sort and classify tourism resources scientifically and meticulously. In addition,Gansu is supposed to exploit the features of regional tourism deeply and enhance the connotation of tourism resources. More importantly,it is essential to implement non-balanced regional tourism coordinated development strategy. Therefore,resource advantages will be transformed into industrial advantages and competitive advantages.

Key words: spatial analysis, less developed areas, Gansu Province, tourism economy, spatial disparity

CLC Number: 

  • F590.31