Research on the Coupling and Coordinated Development of the Tourism Industry and Regional Economy in the Economic Circle of the Sichuan–Chongqing Region in Southwest China
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
There are some interesting elements in this paper, which includes an in-depth study on the correlation between tourism and development in the Sichuan-Chongqing region and some recent data which give an insight into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the analyzed trends. However, this paper is not sufficiently original and is rather descriptive. It gives very little information on the context, characteristics, and dynamics of tourism in the region, whether it is cultural, environmental, urban, rural, driven by public or private operators, concentrated in some areas, or widely distributed, seasonal or not, affected or not by the state of infrastructure and/or transportation facilities, etc. Also, there is very little analysis of possible environmental and social sustainability issues. All these elements, and many more, should be taken into account when tourism and development are correlated and analyzed together.
Author Response
Point 1: This paper gives quite a little information on the context, characteristics, and dynamics of tourism in the region, whether it is cultural, environmental, urban, rural, driven by public or private operators, concentrated in some areas, or widely distributed, seasonal or not, affected or not by the state of infrastructure and/or transportation facilities, etc.
Response 1:Thank you for your advice. In response to your suggestions, we have added dynamic information related to the tourism industry, including national policies, development background, and existing research results, in the introduction, literature review, destination overview, and Sichuan-Chongqing economic circle coupling coordination mechanism.
Point 2: Besides, there is a fewanalyses of the possible environmental and social sustainability issues. All these elements and others should be taken into account when tourism and development are correlated and analyzed together.
Response 2: Thanks for your advice. In response to your suggestions, we have added a discussion of social issues and sustainability issues in the coupling mechanism, data analysis, and conclusions section. This study mainly discusses the advantages of the tourism industry, industrial scale, tourism income, tourism resources, employment absorption, and residents ' participation in the Sichuan-Chongqing economic circle. The regional economy mainly discusses the economic level, environmental resources, and social development factors, and comprehensively analyzes the food, housing, transportation, tourism, shopping, and entertainment involved in the tourism industry.
Point 3: Extensive editing of English language and style required.
Response 3: Thanka lot for your advice. The author has completed the polishing of the full-text language, including the introduction, review, analysis, and conclusion.
Point 4: Other questions.
Response 4: We have modified and improved the article according to your suggestions.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
The topic has been investigated by the many scholars. However, the manuscript is well structured. The study area is representative. On the whole, I think that the research is of great importance. I suggest that the language needs to be polished.
Author Response
要点 1：需要适度的英语更改。
响应 1：谢谢你的建议。作者完成了全文语言的润色，包括引言、回顾、分析、结论。
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
This research is related to the theme of this journal on sustainability. Please find enclosed my constructive remarks and suggestions to improve the quality of your manuscript.
I suggest that the authors clarify the research question(s) and the contribution of their paper. They have to explain how their paper adds value to academia. Are they building on the relevant literature? How? Where? When? Why?
The literature review should have included more references. I recommend the inclusion of the following ones:
Liu, C., Dou, X., Li, J., & Cai, L. A. (2020). Analyzing government role in rural tourism development: An empirical investigation from China. Journal of Rural Studies, 79, 177-188.
Mtapuri, O., Camilleri, M. A., & Dłużewska, A. (2022). Advancing community‐based tourism approaches for the sustainable development of destinations. Sustainable Development, 30(3), 423-432.
Wang, J., Huang, X., Gong, Z., & Cao, K. (2020). Dynamic assessment of tourism carrying capacity and its impacts on tourism economic growth in urban tourism destinations in China. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 15, 100383.
The conclusion should specify the theoretical and practical implications.
I look forward to reading your revised paper.
Best wishes.
Author Response
Point 1: I suggest that the authors clarify the research question(s) and the contribution of their paper. They need to explain that how their paper adds value to academia. Are they building on the relevant literature? How? Where? When? Why?
Response 1: Thank you for your advice. Based on the research results of the tourism industry, community, society, environment, and economy, the author clarifies the research problems through the coupling mechanism and constructs the evaluation index system of the tourism industry and regional economy in Sichuan-Chongqing economic circle for the first time, which lays a theoretical foundation for the future development of urban agglomeration.
Point 2: The literature review should have included more references.
Response 2: Thank you for your advice. The author added literature on the tourism industry, community, policy, society, environment, and economy, discussed the coupling and coordination between the tourism industry and regional economy in Sichuan-Chongqing economic circle from many aspects, and provided the theoretical basis and practical guidance for the future development of urban agglomeration.
Point 3: The literature review should have included more references.
Response 3: Thank you for your advice. According to the existing research results and the characteristics of the industry and economic system of the Sichuan-Chongqing economic circle, this study elaborates the coupling development mechanism within the system, constructs a targeted and uni-versal evaluation index system, and lays a theoretical foundation for the future development and evaluation of urban agglomerations. Simultaneously, through qualitative and quantitative comprehensive analysis, the theoretical logic and influencing factors of industry and economic development are deeply explored, and the two-way coupling relationship between the tourism industry and the regional economic system in the SiChuan-Chongqing economic circle is verified. It verifies the two-way coupling relationship between the tourism industry and the regional economic system in Sichuan-Chongqing economic circle and provides a practical reference for promoting the coordinated and high-quality development of industry and economy in the Sichuan-Chongqing economic circle.
Point 4: Clean up tangled, hard-to-read sentences and make the right impression. Ensure your language is mistake-free and polished.
Response 4: Thank you for your advice. The author has completed the polishing of the full-text language, including the introduction, review, analysis, and conclusion.
Point 5: Other questions.
Response 5: We have modified and improved the article according to your suggestions.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
The paper has improved in its theoretical framework and objectives. However, some of the added parts are neither coherent nor supported by adequate sources and references. For example, in paragraph 2.2, the Sichuan-Chongqing Economic Circle is described as a highly developed region through several statistical data (without any years or sources, or comparison data). In paragraph 4.1., the authors state that "China is still in the early stage of development, the economic level is in a low level, low level of the disposable income of residents, the proportion of low-income groups is large, and the poverty in rural areas of Sichuan and Chongqing is more obvious. At present, the tourist attractions have not been fully developed, the transportation, accommodation, catering, and lack of other infrastructure and tourism service facilities, the social development process is slow again, without adequate data or sources).
I suggest that the authors reconsider the whole paper in order to overcome these weak points and strengthen their contribution, because this is a potentially original and innovative study.
Author Response
Point 1: Articles without any years or sources, or comparison data, in paragraph 2.2, the Sichuan-Chongqing Economic Circle is described as a highly developed region through several statistical data.
Response 1: Thank you for your valuable advice. The data cited in the article are from official statistics, including 'China Statistical Yearbook', 'Sichuan Statistical Yearbook' and 'Chongqing Statistical Yearbook' as well as government statistical bulletins. The author noted the data source during the revision process and added some regional data.
Point 2: Articles lack adequate data or sources. In paragraph 4.1., the authors state that "China is still in the early stage of development, the economic level is in a low level, low level of the disposable income of residents, the proportion of low-income groups is large, and the poverty in rural areas of Sichuan and Chongqing is more obvious. At present, the tourist attractions have not been fully developed, the transportation, accommodation, catering, and lack of other infrastructure and tourism service facilities, the social development process is slow again,).
Response 2: Thank you for your valuable suggestions. The author has completed the revision of 4.1, indicating the data source which is from ‘Sichuan Statistical Yearbook’ and ‘Chongqing Statistical Yearbook’, adding more visual data and analyzing the comprehensive development level of tourism industry system and regional economic system in Sichuan and Chongqing from the time dimension.
Point 3: I suggest that the authors reconsider the whole paper in order to overcome these weak points and strengthen their contribution, because this is a potentially original and innovative study.
Response 3: Thank you for your valuable suggestions. We carefully considered the research content and value according to your suggestions, and highlighted the theoretical value and innovation of the research in the summary, data analysis and conclusion. As a very important urban agglomeration, the Sichuan-Chongqing Circle also serves as the core area of economic development, cultural output and population gathering area in western China. The evolution of the economic circle involves the comprehensive development of the primary, secondary and tertiary industries. However, few scholars in the academic circle discuss its industrial development, which is bound to be detrimental to the development of the economic circle. As such, this research will not only expand the existing research field and focus on tourism industry as well as regional economy, but also explore the internal coupling mechanism of the economic circle based on the existing research results of the academic community, and combine the development characteristics of the economic circle to build the evaluation index system of the tourism industry and regional economy of the economic circle for the first time. Through the analysis of the 21 year development statistics of the Sichuan-Chongqing circle, we can find out the change law, development trend and influencing factors, It provides scientific practical reference for the future progress of the economic circle, with more scholars attracted to study the growth of Sichuan-Chongqing circle.
Point 4: Are the arguments and discussion of findings coherent, balanced and compelling?
Response 4: Thank you for your valuable suggestions. The author invited English speaking professionals to polish the article.
Point 5: For empirical research, are the results clearly presented?
Response 5: Thank you for your valuable suggestions. The author invited English speaking professionals to polish the article.
Point 6: For empirical research, are the results clearly presented?
Response 6: Thank you for your comments. We have clarified the relationship between tourism industry and regional economy by analyzing the statistical data of Sichuan-Chongqing region from 2000 to 2020. The results confirm that the per capita consumption level of residents and regional GDP emerge as the key factors affecting the coupling and coordination differences of the Sichuan-Chongqing economic circle.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
I noticed that the authors have improved their manuscript after they received the reviewers' evaluations. Well done. I am recommending the acceptance of this paper.
Author Response
Point 1: For empirical research, are the results clearly presented?
Response 1: Thank you for your valuable suggestions. The author invited English speaking professionals to polish the article.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 3
Reviewer 1 Report
The paper has sufficiently improved and is ready for publication
