Railway Expansion and Tourism Transport Ecological Efficiency: Spatial Evidence from China

Tourism's link to the Sustainable Development Goals has been a continuing emphasis, adding momentum to long-standing efforts to ensure tourism's sustainability. Tourism transport is one of the largest sources of anthropogenic carbon emissions, driving global ecological change with profound consequences for ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. Large-scale infrastructure projects such as railway expansion are increasingly promoted for their potential to reduce tourism-related carbon dioxide emissions, yet their spatial ecological impacts on regional carbon cycles and ecosystem services remain poorly understood. This study introduces the concept of Tourism Transport Ecological Efficiency (TTEE) to assess the relationship between human infrastructure, carbon emissions, and ecological sustainability. Using panel data from China's railway expansion between 2011 and 2018, the study provides spatially explicit evidence of how transport infrastructure shapes tourism's ecological footprint. Results show that non-Eastern regions experienced a greater increase in TTEE (8.7%) compared to Eastern regions (5.5%), highlighting regional disparities in tourism transport ecological sustainability. Railway density had a significant positive direct effect on TTEE, particularly pronounced in non-Eastern regions. Additionally, a significant indirect effect of railway density in nearby regions was identified. These findings reveal the interconnected ecological impacts of transport systems and underscore the importance of regionally targeted railway investment strategies. By bridging infrastructure development with ecological processes, this study advances understanding of how tourism transport can be aligned with global carbon reduction goals and ecosystem protection.