From Resource Endowment to Innovation-Driven Development: A Quantitative Analysis of the Integration Dynamics in Regional Cultural Tourism

This study addresses the critical transition of regional cultural tourism from traditional resource-dependency to an innovation-driven paradigm. Grounded in Dynamic Capabilities Theory, we develop a quantitative AHP-FCE framework to evaluate this structural shift. Using Shandong Province as an empirical case, the assessment yields a “Good” integration score (0.764), predominantly driven by static heritage endowments and economic scale. However, a critical “resource-innovation gap” emerges: technological innovation, despite being the most heavily weighted dynamic driver, significantly lags behind traditional resource utilization. This imbalance suggests potential constraints in the efficiency of resource-to-innovation conversion. Offering a transferable diagnostic tool for globally heritage-rich destinations, this study urges policymakers to pivot from physical scenic expansion toward digital R&D and talent cultivation to break the “resource curse” and build a sustainable cultural tourism ecosystem.