Assessing the belt and road initiatives impact on tourism development in China: insights from MOOCs learning platform

Purpose This study aims to explore the impact of the belt and road initiative (BRI) on tourism development in China and to identify the factors contributing to the BRI’s effect on tourism development. Design/methodology/approach This study evaluates the impact of the BRI on tourism development using 2007–2017 panel data from 31 provinces and municipalities in China. The data are analyzed using the difference-in-differences method and the factors contributing to the BRI’s effect on tourism development are identified through an analysis of online reviews by users of a massive open online course offered on the FutureLearn platform. Findings The result suggests that the BRI has boosted total tourism revenue and total tourist arrivals in the BRI region comparing with other regions. Four factors contributing to the BRI’s impact on tourism development in China are identified: macro-environmental factors, transit factors, destination factors and tourism policy and promotional factors. Originality/value The BRI has had a significant impact on regional tourism development, yet very few empirical studies have systematically examined the impact of BRI on tourism development. Thus, this paper also addresses this research gap by evaluating the extent to which BRI impacts tourism development and contributes to the factors affecting tourism development.