Spatial-temporal evolution analysis of cultural tourism industry coupling coordination in maritime silk road port cities: a multi-source remote sensing approach

This study investigates the spatial-temporal evolution patterns of cultural tourism industry coupling coordination in 15 strategically important Maritime Silk Road port cities from 2010 to 2020, employing an integrated multi-source remote sensing data approach. By combining Landsat 8/9, Sentinel-2, VIIRS nighttime light imagery, and Synthetic Aperture Radar data with socio-economic indicators, we developed a comprehensive coupling coordination measurement framework to quantify the interaction strength and coordination level between cultural and tourism sectors. The empirical analysis reveals significant spatial heterogeneity and temporal convergence trends, with three distinct development phases: initial coordination establishment (2010-2013), rapid improvement (2014-2017), and stabilization optimization (2018-2020). Singapore, Hong Kong, and Shanghai maintain the highest coupling coordination degrees (> 0.85), while emerging economies like Gwadar, Djibouti, and Mombasa exhibit rapid catch-up growth patterns with annual improvement rates exceeding 7%. Spatial autocorrelation analysis indicates strong positive clustering effects (Moran's I: 0.321-0.456) and regional spillover mechanisms. Economic foundation, transportation accessibility, and policy environment emerge as key influencing factors, with economic development level demonstrating the strongest correlation with coordination improvement. The findings provide evidence-based foundations for targeted policy interventions promoting sustainable cultural tourism industry development across diverse geographical and economic contexts along the Maritime Silk Road.