THE INFLUENCING FACTORS AND MECHANISMS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL TOURISM IN SHAANXI PROVINCE, CHINA

บทคัดย่อ

The sustainable development of rural tourism has become a critical concern amid rapid tourism expansion and increasing pressures on rural environments and cultures. This study investigates the key influencing factors and underlying mechanisms driving the sustainable development of rural tourism in Shaanxi Province, China. Drawing on the sustainability prism framework, the research proposes an integrated model incorporating place attachment, community participation, and tourism industry innovation as core determinants of rural tourism sustainability. Quantitative data were collected from tourism practitioners in six representative rural tourism destinations in Shaanxi Province through a questionnaire survey, yielding 522 valid responses. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed hypotheses and examine the relationships among variables. The results reveal that place attachment and community participation exert strong and significant positive effects on the sustainable development of rural tourism, while tourism industry innovation also contributes positively, though with a comparatively weaker influence. These findings enrich the theoretical understanding of sustainable rural tourism by highlighting the combined and differential impacts of social–psychological, community-based, and innovation-oriented factors. Practically, the study provides policy-relevant insights for local governments and tourism management agencies, emphasizing the need to strengthen residents’ emotional bonds with place, enhance inclusive community participation mechanisms, and foster innovation capabilities within the rural tourism industry to achieve long-term sustainability.