Interactive Relationship and Coordinated Development of Sports Tourism and Ecological Civilization in the Yellow River Basin

In the context of economic structural transformation and upgrading in the Yellow River Basin, this study explored the interaction between sports tourism and ecological civilization in the region. By constructing an indicator system for sports tourism and ecological civilization and applying the entropy weight method, coupling coordination model, and using the obstacle degree model, sports tourism development and ecological civilization construction in each province of the Yellow River Basin were quantitatively analyzed. The results revealed upward trends in both sports tourism and ecological civilization construction in the Yellow River Basin. According to the coupling coordination model, the most significant growth in coupling coordination degree has been observed in Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, and Henan provinces, whereas Qinghai and Inner Mongolia have seen the least change in their coordination level. Government spending on sporting events and per capita water resources was identified as the main factors influencing the development of sports tourism and ecological civilization in the Yellow River Basin. Based on these findings, policy recommendations are proposed to promote the coordinated development of sports tourism and ecological civilization in the Yellow River Basin.