Based on regional coordination theory and system theory, the authors constructed an evaluation index system for the coordinated development of a regional environment-tourism-economy system with a pressure-state-response (PSR) model. With a coordinated development model, it further empirically analyzed the coordinated development state of an environment-tourism-economy system in western Hunan from 2001 to 2012. The results showed that, although this environment-tourism-economy system failed to achieve a high benefit index, inter-subsystem coupling extent, and coordinated development index, the three indices presented an increasing overall trend. This outcome suggested that the sub-systems in this system were developing towards their optimal proportions: the development of these sub-systems (environmental, tourism, and economic) was unbalanced in western Hunan. The environment therein sees only slow development although provided with a favorable ecological foundation. Economic development, which has long been lagging, acted as the main factor restricting the coordinated development of a regional environment-tourism-economy system. To promote its coordinated development in western Hunan, the following recommendations were proposed: strengthen the prediction and warnings on the evolution of the whole system; optimize the industry's structure; reinforce environmental management.
OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2014, 6 5232
Abstract. The sustainable development degree of regional tourism industry responding to the low-carbon economy reflects the comprehensive ability of the scientific development of regional tourism industry. Based on the factors influencing the sustainable development degree of regional tourism industry, in the principle of low-carbon economy, the evaluation index system was established using the literature and experts consultation methods. The system consisted of four parts including tourism resource system, environment supporting system, tourism economic system, and facility supporting system. Meanwhile, the hierarchical accumulation from bottom to top was utilized to evaluate the sustainable development degree of tourism industry responding to the low-carbon economy in western Hunan, China. The evaluation results demonstrated that the overall development degree of tourism industry responding to the low-carbon economy in western Hunan was 0.596 in 2012, which belonged to the medium level of sustainable development. The sustainable development degree of tourism industry responding to the low-carbon economy in western Hunan during 2001-2012 exhibited a rising tendency at a slow growth speed. This period belongs to the transitional period on the whole and is characterized by unbalanced regional development.
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