Sustainable Development from Homogenization to Inclusivity: Optimization Strategies for Rural Landscape Design Based on Visual Behaviors and Landscape Preferences for Different Demographic Characteristics

The rural landscape, as the core constituent unit of rural space, is vital for promoting sustainable rural development and achieving rural revitalization goals. However, current research is often limited to single groups, neglecting differences in visual behaviors (VBs) and landscape preferences (LPs) among diverse groups. Thus, this study employed eye-tracking technology combined with a landscape preference questionnaire to investigate the VBs and LPs of 160 participants when viewing rural landscapes. The results indicate that there is a notable correlation between VBs and LPs (p < 0.01), and the two aspects mutually influence each other. Moreover, groups with different demographic characteristics exhibit significant differences in both VBs and LPs. Among them, the score for LPs in the group of farmers, service sector workers, and retirees is significantly higher than that in the group of students, while the mean fixation duration is significantly lower than that in the group of students. Based on these research findings, this study suggests that, during the process of rural landscape design, full consideration should be given to the VBs and LPs of diverse groups with different demographic characteristics to enhance the inclusivity of rural landscape design and facilitate the realization of diversified and sustainable rural development.