The Role of Rural Tourism in Driving Agricultural Economic Revitalization: A Study of Guangnan District, Yunnan Province

Under China’s rural revitalization strategy, rural tourism has become an important means of activating rural resources, increasing farmers’ income, and promoting agricultural transformation. However, converting tourism development into sustainable agricultural benefits remains a challenge in underdeveloped agricultural regions with weak industrial foundations. Taking Guangnan District in Wenshan Prefecture, Yunnan Province, as the research area, this study examines the effect of rural tourism on agricultural economic revitalization and the mediating role of industrial integration. Annual data from 2005 to 2025 are examined using Bayesian methods. The findings show that rural tourism has a significant positive long-term effect on agricultural economic revitalization. Industrial integration plays a partial mediating role, indicating that rural tourism promotes agricultural development both directly and indirectly through agriculture–tourism integration. The marginal contribution of rural tourism declines as tourism expands, while its economic benefits are mainly realized through long-term accumulation. Guangnan District should therefore shift from tourism scale expansion to quality improvement, strengthen the links between tourism and local agricultural production, processing, and marketing, and improve transportation, cold-chain logistics, and digital infrastructure. These measures can promote deeper agriculture–tourism integration and sustainable rural economic development.

rural tourism, agricultural economic revitalization, industrial integration, Bayesian analysis, Guangnan District

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