Adaptive evolution and dynamic mechanism of resort socioecological system in tourism cities: The case of Qinhuangdao, China

Resort socioecological systems (SESs) have changed significantly worldwide because of rapid urbanisation and tourism development. Exploring the dynamics and driving mechanisms of resort SES at different stages is beneficial for understanding urban adaption to future pressure, creating elaborate strategies for tourism innovation, and achieving sustainable resort development. Therefore, this study proposed the Adaptive-TALC model as a novel analytical framework for resort evolution, using Qinhuangdao Resort as an empirical case study. The results revealed that 1) from 1979 to 2023, Qinhuangdao tourism resort had been gradually transformed from a simple socioecological system based on natural resource utilization to a complex adaptive system integrating natural and human resource utilization, 2) governance systems played a pivotal role in resort evolution, and business utilized digital technology to innovate resort products, thereby accelerating system renewal and reorganisation, and 3) within the context of panarchy, Aranya's holiday products serve as a model for local businesses to improve and innovate their products and ultimately promote Qinhuangdao's sustainable development. This study contributes to theories of tourist destination evolution by providing a novel framework for the cognition of the tourism resource sustainable utilization in resorts and provides insights into innovative approaches such as nature-cultural hybrid solutions, adaptive urban planning, and digital tourism, enabling tourism cities to enhance their adaption and mitigate potential risks.