This paper explores the spatio-temporal trend structure of inbound tourism development levels in China from 1991 to 2010. The investigation is based on theories of unbalanced regional economic growth and uses econometric methods. Absolute and relative disparities at the provincial level of inbound tourism in China tended to decrease during the 1990s. From 2001 to 2010, the relative disparities gradually decreased, whereas the absolute difference slightly increased. The overall regional disparity in the tourism development level exhibits a non-polarized and unbalanced development tendency along with the emergence of new, secondary tourism economic growth centres. Moreover, gradient differences remain in the three economic zones of China. This paper proposes a paradigm framework for regulating regional disparities and for facilitating comprehensive and coordinated inbound tourism development.
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