The impact of the digital economy on rural residents’ tourism consumption: evidence from China

Tourism consumption is vital in expanding domestic demand and stimulating economic growth. In China, the urban-rural dual structure is more prominent in the tourism industry, and the potential of tourism consumption in rural areas needs further release. The development of the digital economy provides a new path to promote rural residents’ tourism consumption. Based on the data from China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2016, 2018, and 2020, this paper explores the specific impact of the digital economy on rural tourism consumption. The results show that the digital economy is conducive to promoting rural tourism consumption, and income structure is an important influence mechanism. The digital economy can promote rural tourism consumption by increasing wage income. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the digital economy significantly promotes tourism consumption in rural households with sufficient leisure time.