Navigating the Efficiency Landscape: A Data Envelopment Analysis of Tourist Resorts in Jiangsu Province for Optimized Socio-Economic Benefits

Abstract

Tourist resorts stand out as a focal point in the academic discourse on tourism, garnering significant attention within the tourism academic community. Assessing the efficiency of these resorts serves as a crucial tool for steering their management strategies, optimizing resource allocation, and contributing to regional economic development. This study centers on tourist resorts in Jiangsu Province, employing the data envelopment analysis method to gauge their tourism efficiency. The research delves into the impact of decomposing the efficiency of tourist resorts and investigates the spatiotemporal dynamic patterns of various efficiencies. Key findings indicate that: (1) The overall tourism efficiency of tourist resorts in Jiangsu Province registers as low, with an average of only 0.119, signaling ample room for improvement towards optimal levels. Among different efficiencies, scale efficiency exhibits the highest average value, followed by pure technical efficiency, with comprehensive efficiency ranking the lowest. (2) The comprehensive efficiency of tourist resorts in Jiangsu Province is influenced by the combined effects of various decomposition efficiencies. Notably, pure technical efficiency plays a more substantial role in overall efficiency compared to scale efficiency. (3) Spatial differentiation in efficiency values is evident among tourist resorts in Jiangsu Province. High-efficiency areas, particularly the southern Jiangsu region, display concentrated clusters, emphasizing a pronounced agglomeration of scale efficiency. In contrast, the central and northern regions of Jiangsu witness a rising number of tourist resorts demonstrating pure technical efficiency and high overall efficiency. (4) Over the research period, the focus of various efficiency factors in tourist resorts shifted towards the north, albeit without significant deviation. Simultaneously, the standard deviation ellipse area of various efficiencies exhibits a general trend of expansion. Drawing from these research outcomes, the article recommends practical measures such as enhancing the diversity of vacation resort services, establishing interactive mechanisms, and attracting management talent. These suggestions aim to provide actionable guidance for the development of tourist resorts, contributing to their sustained growth and success.