Journal of Resources and Ecology >
Changes in Ecotourism Flow in Hunan Province of China in the Context of COVID-19
ZHU Anni, E-mail:1016143043@qq.com |
Received date: 2021-12-21
Accepted date: 2022-04-30
Online published: 2023-02-21
Supported by
The Hunan Zhangjiajie Ecotourism National Long-term Scientific Research Base of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration(JD2020KF01)
This study analyzed the changes in ecotourism flow in Hunan Province before and after the COVID-19 epidemic by obtaining the ecotourism route data for 2019 and 2020 from online tourism platforms such as wasp nest, poor travel, Ctrip, tuniu and qunar, and determining geographical distribution characteristics, node characteristics and network characteristics with the help of software such as UCINET, Netdraw and ArcGIS. The results revealed major changes in spatial distribution, the roles of nodes, and the structure and composition of the flow network. (1) COVID-19 has changed the spatial distribution pattern of ecotourism flows in Hunan Province. Under the influence of the epidemic, the spatial geographical concentration trend in Hunan Province decreased from 30.42 in 2019 to 28.94 in 2020, the flow in the North weakened, and the hot spots shifted to the south. In order to promote the development of global tourism in Hunan Province, we should focus on how to correctly handle the differences in tourism resources and the imbalance in tourism development between the Xiangxi region and other tourism regions. (2) The COVID-19 epidemic triggered changes of the roles of some nodes in the ecotourism flow network in Hunan Province. The comprehensive efficiency value of the node decreased from 266 to 222, indicating that crisis events such as the epidemic have caused damage to the ecotourism flow in Hunan Province, and the surrounding low-density ecotourism sites with good natural scenery have become more favored by tourists after the COVID-19 epidemic. (3) The COVID-19 situation has affected the structure and composition of the ecotourism flow network in Hunan Province. The overall network density of ecotourism flow in Hunan Province increased from 0.18 to 0.14, the degree of separation between ecotourism destinations increased, and tourists’ demand for health and safety has driven the development of ecotourism flow in Hunan Province towards multinode and multiregional characteristics.
Key words: tourism flow; COVID-19; ecotourism; digital footprint; tourists
ZHU Anni , ZHONG Yongde , WEI Juan . Changes in Ecotourism Flow in Hunan Province of China in the Context of COVID-19[J]. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 2023 , 14(2) : 276 -288 . DOI: 10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2023.02.006
Fig. 1 Spatial distribution of tourism flow in Hunan Province before and after COVID-19 |
Fig. 2 Hot spots of tourism flow distribution in Hunan Province before and after COVID-19 |
Fig. 3 Spatial flow pattern of tourism flow in Hunan Province before and after COVID-19 |
Table 1 Network structure node centers before COVID-19 |
Tourism node | Degree Centrality | Closeness Centrality | Betweenness Centrality | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Out | In | Out | In | ||
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park | 44.74 | 57.90 | 68.42 | 75.88 | 217.80 |
Fenghuang | 57.90 | 52.63 | 75.00 | 72.37 | 181.42 |
Tianmen Mountain | 52.63 | 44.74 | 71.93 | 68.86 | 161.40 |
Orange-islet | 50.00 | 44.74 | 70.61 | 69.30 | 157.90 |
Shaoshan | 36.84 | 42.11 | 64.04 | 68.42 | 98.24 |
Yuelu Mountain | 44.74 | 36.84 | 67.54 | 64.47 | 68.21 |
Dongting Lake | 28.95 | 34.21 | 60.09 | 63.16 | 49.49 |
Hengshan Mountain | 26.32 | 28.95 | 58.33 | 59.21 | 30.27 |
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon | 28.95 | 28.95 | 58.33 | 60.53 | 22.53 |
Dongjiang Lake | 21.05 | 13.16 | 51.75 | 50.22 | 45.78 |
Gaoyi Ridge | 15.79 | 13.16 | 50.44 | 51.32 | 35.59 |
Junshan Island | 21.05 | 21.05 | 55.70 | 54.39 | 6.30 |
Shiniu Village | 10.53 | 18.42 | 45.18 | 55.70 | 28.28 |
Yangtian Lake | 13.16 | 13.16 | 48.25 | 44.52 | 36.07 |
Huanglong Cave | 21.05 | 18.42 | 53.95 | 55.26 | 5.78 |
Mei River | 10.53 | 7.90 | 46.93 | 42.11 | 45.95 |
Xiangjiang Scenic Belt | 21.05 | 13.16 | 55.70 | 50.44 | 12.52 |
Miaoren Valley | 18.42 | 18.42 | 52.63 | 55.26 | 5.23 |
The Peach Garden | 15.79 | 13.16 | 52.19 | 50.22 | 8.32 |
Liuye Lake | 18.42 | 10.53 | 53.51 | 48.03 | 6.06 |
Nanhua Mountain | 7.90 | 15.79 | 47.81 | 53.95 | 9.53 |
Aizhai Wonder Tourist Area | 18.42 | 10.53 | 52.63 | 48.03 | 4.66 |
Su Xianling | 13.16 | 15.79 | 48.68 | 51.10 | 4.59 |
Deben Grand Canyon | 13.16 | 13.16 | 49.12 | 50.44 | 3.73 |
Huilongshan | 5.26 | 13.16 | 37.50 | 51.75 | 21.88 |
Baofeng Lake | 13.16 | 13.16 | 49.56 | 50.00 | 0.82 |
Jiulong River | 7.90 | 10.53 | 46.49 | 43.20 | 14.40 |
Langshan Mountain | 7.90 | 7.90 | 45.61 | 46.93 | 13.97 |
Martyr Park | 7.90 | 13.16 | 43.64 | 51.75 | 4.05 |
Mengdong River | 7.90 | 13.16 | 46.05 | 48.25 | 0.00 |
Shennong Valley | 7.90 | 10.53 | 46.93 | 47.15 | 1.21 |
Purple Magpie Terraces | 5.26 | 13.16 | 34.87 | 46.71 | 10.46 |
Big Bear Mountain | 5.26 | 5.26 | 43.42 | 43.20 | 13.10 |
Qiliang Cave | 5.26 | 10.53 | 44.30 | 49.56 | 0.00 |
Shiyan Lake | 5.26 | 7.90 | 42.11 | 45.18 | 2.76 |
Mangshan Mountains | 5.26 | 7.90 | 35.97 | 43.64 | 2.69 |
Chuanyan Mountain | 2.63 | 0.00 | 2.63 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Huangyan Grand Canyon | 0.00 | 2.63 | 0.00 | 2.63 | 0.00 |
Table 2 Network structure node centers after COVID-19 |
Tourism node | Degree Centrality | Closeness Centrality | Betweenness Centrality | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Out | In | Out | In | ||||
Yuelu Mountain | 39.47 | 44.74 | 68.42 | 67.98 | 311.57 | ||
Orange-islet | 42.11 | 42.11 | 69.30 | 66.67 | 188.67 | ||
Fenghuang | 42.11 | 39.47 | 67.11 | 64.91 | 181.22 | ||
Hengshan Mountain | 36.84 | 34.21 | 65.79 | 62.28 | 175.73 | ||
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park | 31.58 | 44.74 | 60.53 | 67.98 | 122.96 | ||
Dongting Lake | 34.21 | 21.05 | 64.04 | 53.51 | 121.10 | ||
Tianmen Mountain | 39.47 | 26.32 | 67.11 | 57.46 | 100.40 | ||
Gaoyi Ridge | 18.42 | 28.95 | 52.19 | 60.09 | 97.66 | ||
Dongjiang Lake | 18.42 | 23.68 | 53.29 | 54.83 | 88.69 | ||
The Peach Garden | 15.79 | 15.79 | 53.07 | 50.44 | 78.91 | ||
Shaoshan | 21.05 | 18.42 | 55.70 | 53.51 | 42.57 | ||
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon | 18.42 | 23.68 | 53.07 | 55.04 | 12.60 | ||
Shiyan Lake | 10.53 | 7.90 | 47.37 | 43.20 | 44.30 | ||
Baofeng Lake | 18.42 | 15.79 | 51.54 | 48.47 | 16.28 | ||
Xiangjiang Scenic Belt | 13.16 | 7.90 | 50.88 | 44.30 | 23.56 | ||
Nanhua Mountain | 21.05 | 7.90 | 55.26 | 44.08 | 7.79 | ||
Aizhai Wonder Tourist Area | 13.16 | 10.53 | 50.00 | 43.64 | 17.39 | ||
Yangtian Lake | 13.16 | 10.53 | 48.25 | 44.52 | 12.20 | ||
Huanglong Cave | 13.16 | 13.16 | 47.15 | 45.40 | 0.25 | ||
Martyr park | 10.53 | 10.53 | 47.37 | 48.25 | 1.99 | ||
Dawei Mountain | 2.63 | 5.26 | 40.79 | 33.55 | 36.00 | ||
Miaoren Valley | 5.26 | 15.79 | 41.45 | 49.34 | 0.50 | ||
Su Xianling | 7.90 | 7.90 | 44.08 | 43.64 | 8.06 | ||
Junshan Island | 5.26 | 10.53 | 44.08 | 46.49 | 1.02 | ||
Jiulong River | 7.90 | 7.90 | 44.08 | 41.45 | 2.15 | ||
Shennong Valley | 7.90 | 5.26 | 44.30 | 39.91 | 4.99 | ||
Mangshan Mountains | 7.90 | 10.53 | 40.13 | 39.69 | 3.99 | ||
Shiniu Village | 7.90 | 5.26 | 45.83 | 36.18 | 2.95 | ||
Red Stone Forest | 7.90 | 5.26 | 44.52 | 37.28 | 0.25 | ||
Mengdong River | 7.90 | 5.26 | 43.20 | 37.94 | 0.00 | ||
Liuye Lake | 2.63 | 10.53 | 34.65 | 42.33 | 2.57 | ||
Lianyun Mountain | 2.63 | 5.26 | 30.04 | 41.45 | 12.32 | ||
Yuntai Mountain | 5.26 | 2.63 | 42.98 | 34.43 | 1.44 | ||
Weishan | 7.90 | 2.63 | 44.08 | 29.91 | 2.12 | ||
Purple Magpie Terraces | 2.63 | 2.63 | 35.18 | 33.55 | 0.83 | ||
Deben Grand Canyon | 0.00 | 5.26 | 0.00 | 43.64 | 0.00 | ||
Meishan Dragon Palace | 0.00 | 5.26 | 0.00 | 42.33 | 0.00 | ||
Wan Huayan | 0.00 | 2.63 | 0.00 | 37.94 | 0.00 |
Table 3 Structural hole index values of tourism nodes |
Before COVID-19 | After COVID-19 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tourism node | Effectiveness | Efficiency | Limitation | Tourism node | Effectiveness | Efficiency | Limitation |
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park | 19.55 | 0.82 | 0.39 | Hengshan Mountain | 16.24 | 0.81 | 0.39 |
Fenghuang | 19.52 | 0.78 | 0.43 | Yuelu Mountain | 15.83 | 0.75 | 0.52 |
Tianmen Mountain | 17.38 | 0.72 | 0.52 | Orange-islet | 15.14 | 0.80 | 0.37 |
Orange-islet | 17.12 | 0.78 | 0.44 | Fenghuang | 14.47 | 0.76 | 0.45 |
Shaoshan | 13.62 | 0.76 | 0.45 | Zhangjiajie National Forest Park | 13.72 | 0.76 | 0.39 |
Yuelu Mountain | 12.17 | 0.68 | 0.54 | Dongting Lake | 11.86 | 0.79 | 0.53 |
Dongting Lake | 10.82 | 0.77 | 0.54 | Gaoyi Ridge | 11.54 | 0.82 | 0.62 |
Hengshan Mountain | 10.07 | 0.78 | 0.55 | Tianmen Mountain | 10.80 | 0.68 | 0.55 |
Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon | 8.36 | 0.60 | 0.65 | Dongjiang Lake | 9.20 | 0.84 | 0.57 |
Junshan Island | 7.83 | 0.71 | 0.60 | Shaoshan | 8.54 | 0.71 | 0.62 |
Shiniu Village | 7.82 | 0.87 | 0.36 | Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon | 7.18 | 0.65 | 0.72 |
Dongjiang Lake | 7.78 | 0.87 | 0.53 | The Peach Garden | 6.49 | 0.81 | 0.49 |
The Peach Garden | 7.40 | 0.82 | 0.42 | Nanhua Mountain | 6.20 | 0.77 | 0.66 |
Miaoren Valley | 6.96 | 0.70 | 0.79 | Aizhai Wonder Tourist Area | 6.11 | 0.76 | 0.59 |
Su Xianling | 6.41 | 0.80 | 0.59 | Shiyan Lake | 4.84 | 0.81 | 0.56 |
Fig. 4 Tourism node levels before and after COVID-19 |
Table 4 Tourism flow network density, standard deviation and connection point index |
Variable | Before COVID-19 | After COVID-19 |
---|---|---|
Network density value | 0.1835 | 0.1444 |
Standard deviation | 0.3871 | 0.3515 |
Actual number of connection points | 274 | 214 |
Table 5 Central potential index of the tourism flow network |
Before COVID-19 | After COVID-19 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Central position | Sub-indicator type | Numerical value | Central position | Sub-indicator type | Numerical value |
Degree Centralization | out | 40.582% | Degree Centralization | out | 28.393% |
in | 40.582% | in | 31.094% | ||
Closeness Centralization | out | 54.91% | Closeness Centralization | out | 48.81% |
in | 54.73% | in | 46.07% | ||
Betweeness Centralization | Betweeness | 13.41% | Betweeness Centralization | Betweeness | 19.51% |
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