Knowledge mapping of research on sustainable utilization of landscape resources: a case study of Guilin National Innovation Demonstration Zone for sustainable development in China

Abstract

Worldwide interest has increasingly focused on the sustainable utilization of landscape as a resource in urban areas, emphasizing its ecological, cultural and social significance. This study examines Guilin City, China, as a representative case study due to its rich landscape resources and status as a national innovation demonstration zone for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This study uses bibliometric visualization tools like CiteSpace and VOSviewer to analyze research trends from 1980 to 2021 in the Chinese Academic Journal Network Publishing Database (CNKI). The results show increasing academic interest over three stages: initiation (1982–1997), exploration (1998–2004), and diversified development (2005–2021). Contributions are predominantly from local academic and tourism sectors, indicating a strong regional influence; however, relatively weak interinstitutional collaboration occurs, suggesting potential for more integrated research efforts. Primary research is also concentrated within economic disciplines, particularly tourism-related ones. The evolution of research frontiers reveals three main paths: urban development strategies, industrial economic theories and empirical validation, and ecosystem analysis and evaluation. A multidisciplinary approach and stronger collaborative efforts are crucial to enhance research on ecological values and empirical models while supporting evidence-based urban development strategies in Guilin City and comparable cities globally.