Amid the global emphasis on sustainable development and rural revitalization, optimizing the spatial configuration of rural tourism and exploring its synergistic mechanisms with revitalization efforts are vital for achieving balanced regional growth. This study investigates 56 characteristic villages within the Lijiang River Basin using multidimensional spatial statistical methods, including kernel density analysis and the geographic detector model, to examine spatial distribution patterns, agglomeration characteristics, and driving mechanisms. The results reveal a clustered spatial structure with significant imbalance (G = 53.273 > G₀ = 26.726; S = 0.844 < 1), characterized by a “dual-core—multi-level diffusion—belt-like extension” pattern. Hotspots are concentrated in Yanshan District, while cold spots are distributed along the basin’s periphery. Permanent population is identified as the dominant driving factor (q = 0.8067), and the interaction between topography and transportation exhibits the strongest explanatory power (q = 0.9990). Based on these findings, three development models are proposed: culture IP cultivation–driven, ecological literacy–driven, and thematic scenario integration–driven. The study suggests strengthening the “core–corridor” linkage and adopting differentiated development pathways to enhance the synergy between spatial pattern optimization and rural revitalization.

Wenmin Liao, Xian Su, Jianqiao Lu, Qiuling He, Linyan Pan, Songyu Yang, Jinren Xu. Research on the Synergistic Development of Optimizing the Spatial Pattern of Rural Tourism and Rural Revitalization in the Lijiang River Basin. Academic Journal of Environment & Earth Science (2025), Vol. 7, Issue 5: 38-53. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJEE.2025.070506.

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