The Impact of Human Capital and Tourism Industry Agglomeration on China’s Tourism Eco-Efficiency: An Analysis Based on the Undesirable Super-SBM-ML Model

Tourism eco-efficiency has played a significantly essential role in the sustainable development of tourism destinations and tourism industries, providing ideal inputs and outputs amidst the deepening environmental crisis. This study evaluates the development level of tourism eco-efficiency using the Super-SBM model with undesirable outputs, employing the Malmquist-Luenberger (ML) index to analyse the internal optimisation forces of tourism eco-efficiency. Furthermore, human capital is assessed through both horizontal and vertical education levels, followed by a panel Tobit econometric analysis to explore the external impact mechanisms on tourism eco-efficiency. The results show that (1) Technological advancement is the core intrinsic driver for optimising tourism eco-efficiency. (2) In the analysis of influencing mechanisms, Human capital significantly contributes to enhancing tourism eco-efficiency, a conclusion upheld even after conducting robustness tests. (3) Analysis of mediating mechanisms indicates that tourism industry agglomeration is a critical pathway through which human capital enhances tourism eco-efficiency. This correlation has been proven reliable by regional regression analysis. (4) Results of the threshold model test suggest a law of “increasing marginal effect” concerning the positive impact of human capital on tourism eco-efficiency within the regulation of tourism industry agglomeration. Consequently, regions should actively promote the roles of human capital and tourism industry agglomeration in advancing tourism eco-efficiency, improving resource utilization efficiency, and tourism industry specialization to foster sustainable tourism development.