Digital Technology for High-Quality Cultural-Tourism Development: Insights From Wuhan Residents’ Satisfaction With the Zhiyin Cultural-Tourism Area

Digital technology plays a pivotal role in facilitating the high-quality development of cultural tourism areas. This paper addresses this issue by conducting an empirical study on the Wuhan Zhiyin Cultural Tourism Area in China, utilizing structural equation modeling supported by empirical evidence from surveys of both visitors and residents. The research reveals several key findings: (a) Digital technology directly facilitates the high-quality development of cultural tourism areas by promoting the deep integration of culture and tourism. (b) It indirectly enhances the quality of tourism area development through improvements at both macro and micro levels. (c) At the macro level, digital technology promotes the convergence of culture and tourism, stimulating regional economic growth, safeguarding cultural heritage, and protecting the ecological environment, all of which contribute to the high-quality construction of tourism areas. (d) At the micro level, digital technology improves visitor experience through enhanced navigation, reservation convenience, satisfaction with virtual interpretation services, immersion in digital projects, and innovation in digital experiences, thereby promoting the high-quality development of tourism areas. This study provides valuable insights into leveraging digital technology to enhance the development of cultural tourism areas, offering practical implications for policymakers and practitioners.