The rise of health and wellness tourism has profoundly influenced the placeness of destinations. Under the behavioral impacts of health and wellness tourists, the natural environment, cultural traits, and social life of a place inevitably become embedded in the field of health and wellness tourism, undergoing rapid transformation. By systematically reviewing domestic and international literature on health and wellness tourism, tourist behavior, and placeness from 2000 to 2023, this study identifies theoretical bottlenecks in existing research, including fragmented conceptual definitions, a lack of behavioral logic from the demand side, and ambiguous mechanisms of dynamic evolution. Innovatively, a novel dynamic model for three-stages of "cognition-integration-negotiation" is constructed in this paper in the expectation of revealing the progressive impact pathways of health and wellness tourists' behaviors on placeness. Key findings include: (1) cognitive behaviors in health and wellness tourism reshape local characteristics through selective resource screening mechanism; (2) Healing-oriented integration behaviors trigger bidirectional evolution of placeness and placelessness via high-frequency participation; (3) Health governance negotiation behaviors drive stakeholder gameplay, resulting in either synergistic development or risks of homogenization in placeness. The research is expected to provide a theoretical framework for constructing and sustaining placeness in health and wellness tourism destinations, as well as responding the practical need to harmonize human-environment interactions under “Healthy China” strategy.

Driven by the transition to an experience economy and the reconstruction of personal existential values, the theoretical construction of transformative tourism experience (TTE) has emerged as a frontier in tourism research. Based on the pertinent English literature from the Web of Science core collection, this study integrates CiteSpace bibliometric analysis and the PRISMA framework, guided by the “Stimulus-Organism-Response” framework and transformative learning theory to systematically deconstruct the generative mechanism of TTE. The research finds that: (1) the antecedents of TTE exhibit five-dimensional interactions encompassing individual attributes, embodied engagement, emotional activation, destination characteristics, and tourism contexts; (2) The process of TTE follows a cyclic feedback mechanism from “disorienting dilemmas-triggers-self-reflection-transformation” to the re-stimulation of transformative tourism, aligning with the transformative learning theory; (3) TTE mainly include four layers of effects: physical, psychological, spiritual and social gains, the key points of its post-effects are prominently reflected in the improvement of individual skills and cognition, self-actualization, and the promotion of social progress, etc. The research framework of “antecedent-process-post-effect” proposed in the study provides theoretical inspiration for the construction of a transformative tourism experience research system in the Chinese scenario and enriches the research paradigm of tourism experience.

The cultural genes carried by traditional festivals serve as vital link connecting the past and the future, maintaining the continuity of social culture. They play a significant role in preserving regional cultural identity and perpetuating local cultural heritage. Taking the Jingxi Banner Festival as a case study, this research employs interdisciplinary methodologies, including material morphology, semiotics, and psychology, to establish a “explicit-implicit” dual-dimensional gene identification method. Through this approach, the cultural genes are identified and extracted, leading to the construction of a cultural gene system for traditional festivals. The study reveals: (1) the cultural gene system of traditional festivals forms a multi-dimensional, nested cultural ecosystem through the dynamic mutual construction of explicit and implicit genes, thereby maintaining resilience in balancing the preservation of tradition with adaption to modernity. (2) Within explicit genes, the triad of “material elements-ritual behaviors-spatiotemporal contexts” constitutes an expressive chain of “storage-decoding-reproduction”. For implicit genes, the quartet of “cultural symbolism-emotional structure-social function-value orientation” forms an expressive chain of “transmission-evocation-reinforcement-integration”. (3) The “explicit-implicit” dual-dimensional identification method effectively addresses the challenge of representing implicit cultural genes, offering a practical tool for extracting and constructing the cultural gene system of traditional festivals.

Hosting sports events is an important opportunity for local governments to establish a cultural image and engage in culture outreach. Understanding the cultural narrative mechanism of local sports events is helpful for local governments to “telling compelling cultural stories”. Taking the first mountaineering conference in Hunan Province as an example, this paper discusses the cultural narrative mechanism of local sports events from the perspective of “storytelling and dramatization” of the dramaturgical theory, based on participatory observation, in-depth interview, thematic analysis of live video and news texts methods. The findings are as follows: (1) A local sports event can be regarded as a “cultural drama”, structured around five narratives types: actor narrative, stage narrative, script narrative, act narrative and audience narrative. (2) Actors carry out “performative” cultural narration through their roles, behaviors, emotions and wills; the stage promotes “symbolic” cultural narrative with the help of space and scenery design; the script relies on the theme and story to complete the “story-based” cultural narrative; the act uses media and perspectives to achieve a “refined” cultural narrative; the audience realizes “interactive” cultural narrative through on-site and digital interactions. (3) Finally, the script serves as narrative logic, the actors and audience as narrative subjects, the stage as narrative carrier, and the drama as narrative media, all of which together construct the cultural narrative mechanism model of local sports events in a layer-by-layer correlation and complementary relationship. The research innovatively puts forward the theoretical framework of “cultural drama of sports events”, which can provide theoretical reference for “telling compelling local cultural stories”, “constructing narrative system of sports events” and the integrated development of culture, sports and tourism.

Limited by the characteristics of personalization and colloquialism, how to use bullet screens for festival and special event image perception is still a blank in current research. Addressing the unique characteristics of bullet screen content and its emotional analysis, this study employs the “cognition-emotion-overall” model and “core-periphery” structural model to design a multi-dimensional emotional dictionary for bullet screens and an emotional analysis algorithm tailored to bullet screens. This innovative approach establishes an online perception analysis method for event image, resolving the challenge of emotional analysis in short bullet screen texts. Taking the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games as an empirical case, the research empirically analyzes the evolution of its perceived image. The research found that: (1)the cognitive image of the Beijing Winter Olympics has the characteristics of dynamic changes from macro to specific and then to individual; (2) The emotional image demonstrates characteristics of positive dominance and resilience; (3) The overall image manifests characteristics of networked diffusion and hierarchical transmission; (4) The online communication of the Winter Olympics image can be divided into four stages: “cognitive formation, emotional resonance, image transmission, and image consolidation & legacy transformation”. This research is the first to introduce bullet screens into the perception of festival and special event image, and has built a method for festival and special event image perception by integrating text mining and network analysis techniques. At the same time, the empirical research not only validates the effectiveness of this method, but also enriches the theory of festival tourism from multiple aspects, including the expansion of staged communication models, the deepening of emotional driving mechanisms, and the innovation of networked communication paths. Moreover, it provides practical guidance for festival and special event image management and application of new media data.

Continuous optimization of functional design and service environment in convention centers has made them critical factors influencing attendees’ experiences. Based on the servicescape theory, this study proposes a concept of “conventionscape” and constructs four key dimensions: facility services, spatial attribute services, added-value services, and staff services. Drawing on experiential marketing theory, the study categorizes experiential value into personal and shared experiential value. Using the Sanxingdui Special Exhibition at the Hengqin Culture and Art Center as a case study, a total of 231 valid questionnaires were collected and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) analysis. The results reveal that: (1) all four dimensions of the exhibition servicescape positively affect attendees’ personal experiential value; (2) Facility services and added-value services significantly influence shared experiential value, whereas spatial attribute services and staff services show no significant impact; (3) Both types of experiential value significantly enhance attendees’ satisfaction, thereby fostering loyalty. This study validates the influence mechanism of servicescape in exhibition centers, extends the application of servicescape theory, and demonstrates the complementary values of integrating SEM and ANN, providing practical implications for improving convention centers’ competitiveness and service design.

The coastal areas are pioneers in the development of China’s exhibition industry, and continue to promote the efficient, green and sustainable development of the urban economy through the exhibition industry. This paper uses entropy method and super-efficiency SBM model to measure the development level of exhibition industry and green economic efficiency in China’s coastal areas from 2013 to 2022, and uses spatial econometric model and mediating effect model to empirically test the spatial spillover effect and mechanism of exhibition industry development effect on urban green economic efficiency. The study found that: (1) the development of urban exhibition industry in China’s coastal areas significantly promotes the growth of local green economic efficiency, but has a negative spatial spillover effect on the development of green economy in adjacent cities. (2) The exhibition industry mainly promotes the efficiency of urban green economy through two pathways: industrial structure upgrading and technological innovation, with the mediating effect of technological innovation is stronger than that of industrial structure upgrading. (3) Affected by the development stage of the exhibition industry, urban development strategy and other factors, there are significant differences in the impact of the development of the exhibition industry on the efficiency of green economy in different urban agglomerations. Based on this, this paper puts forward some policy suggestions, such as establishing a cross-regional coordination mechanism of exhibition, giving full play to the two-wheel driving role of industrial structure upgrading and technological innovation, and promoting the ecological development of exhibition industry by digitalization.

Under the guidance of the “dual-carbon” goal, the fast-growing tourism industry must take a green and low-carbon development path. The study employs provincial panel data from China between 2000 and 2022 to construct the tourism development level index. Based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), it tests whether tourism development can reduce regional per capita carbon emissions, explores the differentiated impacts of tourism development on carbon emissions and their specific mechanisms, and analyses the spatial effects of such impacts. The findings indicate that: (1) within the tourism-extended EKC framework, the inverted U-shaped relationship between economic growth and regional carbon emissions has been validated, and tourism development can reduce regional per capita carbon emissions in the long term. (2) The panel threshold regression model further reveals that the impact of tourism development on regional per capita carbon emissions exhibits a nonlinear pattern, and the impact of tourism development on carbon emissions varies across different levels of urbanization. (3) Accommodation and transportation are the primary sources of tourism-related carbon emissions. The number of star-rated hotels and the stock of new energy vehicles serve as mediating variables influencing tourism's impact on regional carbon emissions. (4) Heterogeneity analysis shows that the carbon reduction effect of tourism development is weaker in eastern provinces and optimal in western provinces, and tourism development significantly reduces per capita carbon emissions in surrounding regions.

Xu Xiake (1587-1641), the “Sage of Chinese Tourism”, represents a distinctive cultural symbol. The Travels of Xu Xiake not only records rich natural landscapes and social life, but provides a valuable ideological foundation for modern ecotourism. Based on the text of Travels of Xu Xiake, we analyze his travel philosophy, nature observation methods and environmental protection practices from the perspective of Social-Ecological Systems (SES) theory, and explore the value of his view of ecological cognition on modern ecotourism. The study concludes that: (1) travels of Xu Xiake demonstrates the germ of scientific cognition through quantitative investigation and systematic thinking, and reflects traditional Chinese ecological wisdom through local ecological records, condensing the empirical spirit of “action and observation”. (2) During his travels, Xu Xiake formed a three-layer ecological cognitive framework of “observation, cognition and regulation”. The observation layer adopts a distributed recording method combining quantitative measurement and qualitative description to establish an original ecological database; the cognition layer deconstructs and transforms the recorded data to reveal the dynamic laws of the formation process; and the regulation layer transforms the ethical thinking in the process of cognitive transformation into institutional practice. This complete framework contains traditional ecological wisdom and provides a theoretical model for the transformation of ecotourism from superficial sightseeing to sustainable governance. (3) Based on Xu Xiake’s concept of ecological cognition, the future development of ecotourism can be enhanced in three dimensions through digital technology: replacing passive sightseeing with scientific engagement, transcending superficial reception through in-depth cognition, and breaking through external constraints with endogenous behavior drive, ultimately realizing the goal of “travel as a vehicle for harmony between humans and nature”.

It is believed that improving tourists' mental and physical health through the self-repairing effects of ecological subconsciousness is an important function of wetland tourism. This paper with the technical support of heart rate variability, selects Fuxian Wetland National Park as the study area to construct the model of emotional regulation process in wetland tourism and wetland ecotourism healing perception model (WEHPM). The study explores the mechanisms of autonomic nervous system dynamic regulation patterns and psychological adaptability in emotional regulation and health recovery benefits, while systematically revealing and validating the multi-level progressive pathways and intrinsic laws of tourists' health recovery effects in wetland contexts. The study found: (1) wetland tourism demonstrates significant emotional regulation and health restoration functions. (2) The wetland environment, as an external ecological stimulus, effectively activates tourists’ intrinsic sensory responses, promoting the reconstruction of their autonomic nervous system’s dynamic balance, Thereby, gradually restoring individuals’ stress patterns from a stressed, imbalanced state to an orderly homeostasis. (3) The health benefits of wetland tourism include reducing tourists’ stress levels, alleviating negative emotions such as anxiety, and enhancing the dynamic vitality of their physiological functions. The paper introduces the ecological perception and restoration theory which provides methodological support for the planning and performance evaluation of wetland parks. It also expands the research context for studying tourists’ health recovery benefits and enriches case studies in wellness tourism research.

Cultural ecology connects human society with the natural environment, and is the hidden line of civilization evolution and social development. As vital spaces that carry urban memory and showcase urban characteristics and spiritual temperament, the cultural ecological value of historical blocks is not only reflected in the protection of their natural form, but also in the continuation of their historical context, the maintenance of social relationships, and the innovative development of the cultural and tourism industry. Taking Dongguan Street, Pishi Street and Caiyi Street in Yangzhou City as case studies, we explored the cultural ecological value of urban historical blocks and the influencing factors from the perspective of tourists’ perception by employing methods such as questionnaire surveys, factor analysis and Potential Conflict Index (PCI) and ANOVA. The findings reveal that: (1) tourists’ perception of the cultural ecological value of urban historical blocks primarily comprises three dimensions: experiential value, social value and educational value. (2) Tourists have the highest evaluation of the cultural ecological value (including experiential value and educational value) of Dongguan Street, the lowest evaluation of the cultural ecological value of Caiyi Street and generally believe that Pishi Street has the highest social value. (3) Individual factors such as gender, occupation, and education level of tourists, as well as situational factors such as the companionship of family and friends, the quality of tourism services and policy support, have a significant impact on their perception of cultural ecological value. (4) The perception of the cultural ecological value presents a dynamic process from passive acceptance to active recognition, and then to cognitive sublimation. In the future, the cultural ecological value of urban historical blocks can be enhanced from three aspects of collaborative governance of multiple stakeholders, human-oriented landscape shaping, and differentiated cultural and tourism development, in order to promote its cultural ecological prosperity and tourism high-quality development.

Homestays are an important means to promote the realization of the value of ecological products and rural revitalization, but their pricing mechanism is complex. This study focuses on a typical ecological functional area, i.e. the Beijing’s ecological conservation area. Based on data from the Tujia homestay website, geographical spatial analysis and multiple linear regression methods are employed to analyze the spatial differentiation characteristics and influencing factors of homestay prices. The results show: (1) the spatial distribution of homestays within the area exhibits obvious local agglomeration features, with high-priced homestays overlapping significantly with high-rated tourist areas, mountainous and hilly terrains, and forests; (2) Housing characteristics and architectural features are the main influencing factors on the price formation of homestays in the ecological conservation area, and the impact of transportation accessibility on homestay pricing is relatively weak; (3) Local ecological environmental factors also affect homestay pricing, with elevation and mountain view resources having a significant positive impact on homestay prices, while the normalized difference vegetation index shows a clear negative correlation with homestay prices. The study reveals the spatial heterogeneity patterns of homestay prices in the ecological conservation area, identifies the potential impact of high-density vegetation ecosystems on homestay prices, and enriches the typical regional case studies of the spatial pattern of tourism homestay prices. The findings can provide theoretical references for regional tourism planning, policy formulation for homestay development, and homestay management and operations.

As the world’s largest outbound tourist-generating country, China’s outbound tourism exerts considerable influence in areas such as cultural dissemination, economic cooperation, and international diplomacy due to its massive scale and wide spatial reach. Drawing on panel data of Chinese outbound tourist arrivals to 123 destination countries from 2000 to 2019, this study employs Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) and Markov chain models to examine the spatial-temporal distribution and evolutionary patterns of outbound tourism flows from a directional flow perspective. The key findings are as follows: (1) from a spatial-temporal perspective, the overall spatial distribution of China’s outbound tourism flow exhibits a significant positive spatial autocorrelation, with fluctuating patterns of agglomeration over time. At the local level, the distribution is predominantly characterized by high-high and high-low clusters. (2) Regarding evolutionary stability, the outbound tourism flows display a long-term “club convergence” pattern characterized by persistent polarization into high and low-level destination groups, suggesting that leapfrog growth in tourist reception is difficult to achieve in the short term. (3) From the perspective of evolutionary dependence, the development trajectories of outbound tourism destinations are significantly influenced by neighboring environments, specifically manifested through a mechanism of low-level constraints and high-level radiation effects. However, in environments with adjacent high and low levels, radiation-driven effects may transition into weakening barriers. (4) In terms of long-term trends, the destination system of Chinese outbound tourism is gradually stabilizing into a dual-core structure dominated by high- and low-level clusters, with a declining proportion of mid-level destinations. A localized bi-modal distribution pattern is also evident, whereby high-level countries tend to cluster in high-ranking neighborhood environments, while low-level countries concentrate in areas surrounded by similarly underdeveloped destinations. This article, through an in-depth analysis of the spatial mechanisms of outbound tourism flows, holds theoretical and practical significance for systematically understanding destination spatial structures and, and provide a valuable basis for aligning outbound tourism development with broader national strategies.

Scientific analysis of the spatiotemporal dynamic coupling mechanism between cultural heritage conservation-utilization and tourism development is a key driver for collaborative transformation of cultural resources in ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. Taking the nine provinces (autonomous regions) along the Yellow River as the research area, this study constructs a dynamic coupling model between cultural heritage conservation-utilization and tourism development. A three-stage analytical framework encompassing entropy weight method, coupling coordination degree and obstacle diagnosis was applied to investigate the spatiotemporal evolution patterns of the two systems from 2013 to 2022. The findings reveal: (1) the comprehensive development levels of the two systems exhibit asynchronous periodic fluctuations temporally, while spatially demonstrating gradient-decreasing and pyramid-shaped hierarchical structures respectively; (2) The overall coupling coordination degree of the two systems remains suboptimal (near-maladjustment stage), transitioning through three-phase evolutionary paths temporally, and the spatial pattern evolution exhibits a “local increase, overall decrease” characteristic, with the center of gravity continuously shifting toward the northwest; (3) At the system level, Cultural heritage is the primary obstacle factor; with bidirectional constraints identified between heritage conservation practices and tourism market scale at the indicator level.