Regional heterogeneity poses a persistent challenge for cross-city tourism recommendation, as tourist behaviour and destination characteristics vary widely across cultural, economic, and spatial contexts. This study investigates how such regional differences shape visitor behaviour and proposes a novel recommendation framework, FPNRegionalRec (Feature Pyramid Network-based Regional Recommendation Framework), that explicitly models city-level contextual factors. Using large-scale user-generated reviews collected from Ctrip across six Chinese cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Suzhou), we analyze cross-city differences in experiential, temporal, and geographic patterns and incorporate them into an interpretable recommendation model. Experimental results show that FPNRegionalRec consistently outperforms mainstream baselines, including collaborative filtering, graph-based, and sequential recommendation models, particularly in culturally similar and high-traffic cities, while regional embeddings remain robust under cold-start conditions. By connecting destination image theory and tourist behaviour heterogeneity with computational modelling, this study provides an interpretable framework for cross-city tourism recommendation. The findings can help online travel platforms and destination management organisations adapt recommendation strategies across heterogeneous cities, identify context-specific behavioural signals, and support more targeted point of interest (POI) promotion and cold-start management.
Against the global shift toward high-quality tourism development, the coordinated evolution between high-quality development of ethnic tourism (HQDET) and digital innovation (DI) is increasingly critical for regional development. This study examines the spatio-temporal evolution patterns and coordination states of HQDET and DI in representative ethnic regions of western China from 2013 to 2022. This study employs the Super-SBM DEA, TOPSIS, and Coupling Coordination Degree (CCD) to assess development levels and coordination, and applies the Obstacle Degree Model (ODM) and Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (FsQCA) to identify constraints and configuration paths. Results indicate that both HQDET and DI exhibit 'W'-shaped upward trajectories with regional disparities, driven by differences in socioeconomic foundations, resource endowments, and policy environments. Authenticity serves as a key mediating mechanism through which DI influences HQDET by embedding digital innovation within cultural contexts and enhancing coordination. Under the impact of COVID-19, the CCD between HQDET and DI shows a short-term decline, followed by convergence toward a consolidation phase. The study identifies ten obstacle factors and three high coordinated development pathways, highlighting the combined influence of multiple factors on coordinated development. These findings offer a theoretical framework and practical insights for regional policymaking and international experience sharing.
This study examines how firm-created and user-generated social media communication differently shape brand knowledge and behavioural intention in the integrated resort industry. A survey distinguished between respondents exposed to firm-created social media communication (FCC) and user-generated social media communication (UGC) to enable empirical comparison, and the moderating role of message credibility was also tested. Structural model analysis showed that, in the FCC group, brand awareness and brand image did not significantly affect behavioural intention, while in the UGC group, social media communication had no direct effect on behavioural intention. Message credibility significantly moderated only the relationships between FCC and brand awareness and brand image. These results extend prior social media communication research by showing how source-specific exposure to FCC and UGC is associated with different patterns of brand knowledge and behavioural intention formation in the integrated resort context. They also provide managerial insights, indicating that credible communication strategies can enhance brand knowledge, thereby reinforcing tourists' behavioural intention in integrated resorts.
With the change of globalisation and tourism patterns, the phenomenon of women travelling alone is increasing, reflecting the needs of women to pursue independence, self-exploration and empowerment. This study takes Travel Career Pattern (TCP) as the theoretical framework and combines Constructivist Grounded Theory to explore the motivation of women travelling alone in RVs. The study selected a total of 23 videos from 15 bloggers on YouTube and Bilibili as samples, and according to the TCP theory, it is divided into three levels: core motivation (minimalism, economic rationality, self-actualisation), middle motivation (life change, curiosity spirit, social relationship, relaxation, sense of freedom) and outer motivation (connection with nature, flexibility, lifestyle preference for RVs). The research results show that women's motivation for travelling in RVs is not only similar to that of traditional solo travel, but also unique. From an intersectional perspective, non-Asian women emphasise self-realisation, while Asian women pay more attention to economic rationality, reflecting the impact of culture and social environment on travel motivation. This research enriches the theory of solo travel and RV travel and provides practical reference for female travellers.
