Spatio-temporal pattern and driving factors of tourism ecological security in Fujian Province

The scientific assessment of tourism ecological security holds significant theoretical and practical importance in promoting the sustainable development of the tourism economy and the ecological environment in the region. This study focuses on 84 counties within Fujian Province as its research scope. By utilizing the DPSIR model and integrating the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI), we have established an evaluation index system for assessing tourism ecological security in the region. The tourism ecological security index was quantitatively determined using the SBM-DEA model. Subsequently, a combination of methods, including spatial autocorrelation, exploratory regression analysis, and the GWR model, was employed to explore the spatial and temporal evolution patterns, as well as driving factors affecting tourism ecological security from 2010 to 2019. The findings reveal the following insights: (1) Overall, the level of tourism ecological security within Fujian Province is low, with a decreasing disparity in the security index across different regions. The tourism ecological security mainly falls within the “unsafe” and “relatively unsafe” categories; however, regions with higher security levels are exhibiting an expanding trend. Moreover, the tourism ecological security of each county is improving, with Southern and Central Fujian outperforming other regions. (2) Notably, there is significant spatial correlation among the tourism ecological security of each county in Fujian Province, indicating pronounced agglomeration characteristics. (3) Key drivers contributing to the spatial–temporal disparities in tourism ecological security encompass tourist-related disturbances, income levels of local farmers and herders, tourism-generated income, and government interventions. Among these factors, higher income levels for farmers and herders, increased tourism income, and proactive government intervention have a positive impact on tourism ecological security, whereas tourist disturbances exert a negative influence. Additionally, the impact of each factor on tourism ecological security displays noticeable spatial heterogeneity.