Constraints of Rural Tourism’s Contribution to Local Economic Development and Intervention Mechanisms – Evidence from Shandong Province, China

For visitors who live the modern, hectic, and bustling city life, rural destinations provide an alternative to escape in a serene environment. Rural tourism also promotes community development, rural restructuring, and capital redistribution. Prior studies paid little attention to the role that rural tourism plays in local economic development. Particularly, what hinders rural tourism’s contribution to sustainable local economic development remains unclear. Using qualitative data generated from 41 key informants from a wide range of stakeholders, the findings of this study demonstrate that rural tourism makes positive contributions to sustainable local economic development. It increases household income, facilitates capital redistribution, and promotes rural entrepreneurship. However, its contribution has been constrained by financial, structural, marketing, and technological factors. Research implications are discussed, and avenues for future research are recommended.