Asymmetric modeling of regional tourism economic disparity in China

China's tourism economy has experienced significant regional disparities. However, little attention has been paid to understanding the intricate mechanisms through which the interplay of influential factors gives rise to such disparities. Utilizing statistical data from the tourism economy of 31 provinces in mainland China, this study investigates regional tourism economic disparity through the asymmetric modeling of fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The findings reveal that the causes of regional tourism economic disparity exhibit asymmetry; varying approaches contribute to the formation of high and low levels of tourism economy; the functioning of the most influential factors is impacted by other antecedent conditions, presenting an asymmetric non-linear effect; favorable transportation convenience is a necessary condition for a high level of tourism economy, while poor tourism attraction is a necessary condition for a low level of tourism economy. This research not only introduces a fresh perspective on regional tourism economic disparities, enabling an in-depth comprehension of the complex interactions and nonlinear functional mechanisms of influential factors, but also explores a region-based tourism development model, offering valuable practical guidance for policymakers in the tourism sector.