Exploring digital economy influence towards tourism innovation: An empirical research based on Chinese tourism industry

Abstract This study qualitatively and quantitatively analyzes the effect of the digital economy on tourism innovation in China. It discusses the concept of tourism innovation and constructs a variable to measure it. Then, it empirically tests the impact of digital economy on tourism innovation. Econometric results demonstrate that the digital economy has a consistent and significant impact on tourism innovation, highlighting its role in shaping tourism dynamics. It conducts further tests across different stages and addresses endogeneity concerns. Finally, it presents several policy suggestions.