High Temperatures and Tourism: Findings from China

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear Author(s)

 I hope this letter finds you well. I had the opportunity to read and evaluate your article titled "High Temperatures and Tourism: Enlightenment from China." I must say that your work presents a valuable contribution to the field, offering insightful observations on the intricate relationship between climate factors and the tourism industry. I commend you on your efforts in conducting this research and sharing your findings.

I'd like to provide you with some feedback and suggestions that could enhance the clarity and overall impact of your article. Please note that these suggestions are intended to further elevate the quality of your work, which is already quite commendable.

 

Abstract Section:

1. The abstract indeed encapsulates the essence of your study well. To improve its readability, consider breaking it down into distinct sentences or paragraphs, each highlighting a specific aspect of your research.

2. To enhance precision, you could modify the phrase "influence tourists' travel intentions and spatial behavior" to "influence tourists' travel preferences and destination choices."

3. While the term "resource-rich destinations" is accurate, you might consider omitting "rich" as it's already implied by "resource." This could streamline the sentence.

4. Instead of "Enlightenment," consider using "Insights" or "Findings" to more accurately convey the nature of your study's contributions.

5. The last sentence of the abstract appears somewhat disconnected from the preceding content. Try to relate it more explicitly to the main theme of your study, ensuring a coherent and seamless transition.

 

Introduction Section:

1. Organize your introduction with clear subheadings or section breaks. This division will assist readers in navigating your content and understanding the distinct themes you're addressing.

2. Aim for sentence structures that are concise and easy to follow. Breaking down intricate sentences into smaller, clearer ones will enhance readability.

3. Use transition sentences to smoothly guide readers from one idea to the next, ensuring a coherent flow of information.

4. While providing background information is important, make sure to explicitly outline your study's focus, objectives, and methods. This will help readers understand the purpose of your research early on.

 

Discussion and Conclusion Section:

1. Organize the discussion points into distinct subheadings. This will provide readers with clear signposts, facilitating their understanding of the various aspects you're addressing.

2. Utilize transition sentences to establish smoother connections between your numbered conclusions. This will create a more coherent narrative for readers to follow.

3. Ensure that all references are properly cited according to the chosen citation style, maintaining consistency throughout your text.

4. Some of your conclusions could benefit from elaboration to provide a deeper understanding of your findings and their implications. Expanding upon these points will enhance the richness of your discussion.

5. Simplify complex sentence structures, ensuring that each sentence conveys a single, clear idea. This will facilitate reader comprehension.

Your research holds immense potential to contribute to our understanding of the interaction between high temperatures and tourism in the Chinese context. By implementing these suggestions, I believe your article can become an even more engaging and impactful piece of scholarship.

Author Response

Abstract Section:

1. The abstract indeed encapsulates the essence of your study well. To improve its readability, consider breaking it down into distinct sentences or paragraphs, each highlighting a specific aspect of your research.
2. To enhance precision, you could modify the phrase "influence tourists' travel intentions and spatial behavior" to "influence tourists' travel preferences and destination choices."
3. While the term "resource-rich destinations" is accurate, you might consider omitting "rich" as it's already implied by "resource." This could streamline the sentence.
4. Instead of "Enlightenment," consider using "Insights" or "Findings" to more accurately convey the nature of your study's contributions.
5. The last sentence of the abstract appears somewhat disconnected from the preceding content. Try to relate it more explicitly to the main theme of your study, ensuring a coherent and seamless transition.

Response: All revisions have been made according to the reviewer’s suggestion. Thank you for helping us clarify the manuscript.

Introduction Section:

1. Organize your introduction with clear subheadings or section breaks. This division will assist readers in navigating your content and understanding the distinct themes you're addressing.
2. Aim for sentence structures that are concise and easy to follow. Breaking down intricate sentences into smaller, clearer ones will enhance readability.
3. Use transition sentences to smoothly guide readers from one idea to the next, ensuring a coherent flow of information.
4. While providing background information is important, make sure to explicitly outline your study's focus, objectives, and methods. This will help readers understand the purpose of your research early on.

Response: We appreciate your valuable feedback. In response to your suggestions, we have revised the introduction section and reorganized it according to the framework of Background-Impact of Climate Change on Tourism-Research Gap and Significance-Research Objectives and Structure. The sentences have been refined for enhanced readability while incorporating transition sentences to ensure a seamless flow of information. The revised introduction now explicitly delineates the study's focus, objectives, and methodology. We sincerely thank you for your invaluable input.

Discussion and Conclusion Section:

1. Organize the discussion points into distinct subheadings. This will provide readers with clear signposts, facilitating their understanding of the various aspects you're addressing.
2. Utilize transition sentences to establish smoother connections between your numbered conclusions. This will create a more coherent narrative for readers to follow.
3. Ensure that all references are properly cited according to the chosen citation style, maintaining consistency throughout your text.
4. Some of your conclusions could benefit from elaboration to provide a deeper understanding of your findings and their implications. Expanding upon these points will enhance the richness of your discussion.
5. Simplify complex sentence structures, ensuring that each sentence conveys a single, clear idea. This will facilitate reader comprehension.

Your research holds immense potential to contribute to our understanding of the interaction between high temperatures and tourism in the Chinese context. By implementing these suggestions, I believe your article can become an even more engaging and impactful piece of scholarship.

Response:  Thank you for your feedback on the discussion and conclusion section. We have made necessary improvements to enhance clarity and coherence, including proper citation of references, expanded conclusions for deeper understanding, and simplified sentence structures for improved comprehension. We appreciate your recognition of our research's potential impact on high temperatures' interaction with tourism in China.

Reviewer 2 Report

1. The abstract is not properly written and is less informative for a scientific article. Please rewrite the abstract 

2. The motivation of the study is not well articulated

3. The research gap and state-art is not explained 

4. Please include recent literature in the literature review section.

5. Please expand the contribution of this study and be specific. Suppose, Firstly.... secondly...,. 

6. The methodology is well explained. 

7. The discussion section needs improvement with practical implications and is supported by relevant literature. 

8. More in-depth and logical explanation is compulsory to improve the result's discussion.

9. The policy implication section is the core section of research work; thus, policy implication needs immense rework and should be aligned with the main findings and should be relevant to the sample country's context.

Language needs improvement 

Author Response

1. The abstract is not properly written and is less informative for a scientific article. Please rewrite the abstract.

Response: Thank you for your valuable feedback. We sincerely apologize for the lack of clarity and informativeness in the previous version of the abstract. Your suggestions have been carefully considered, resulting in a comprehensive revision of the abstract. The revised version now offers a more concise and informative summary of the scientific article, effectively highlighting its key findings and implications.

2. The motivation of the study is not well articulated

Response: Thank you for your feedback regarding the motivation of the study. We have carefully considered your suggestion and have revised the motivation section to provide a more comprehensive explanation of the study's purpose and significance.

The motivation behind this study stems from the increasing recognition of the profound impacts of climate change on the tourism industry. Climate change, particularly high temperatures, has emerged as a critical factor influencing tourists' travel decisions and destination choices. However, there is a need for a deeper understanding of the specific implications of high temperatures on tourism, particularly in the Chinese context. This study aims to bridge this knowledge gap by conducting a comprehensive analysis of Chinese tourism during periods of elevated temperatures.By examining the market trends, preferences, and changes in heat-escape tourism products, this study seeks to provide valuable insights into the adaptation strategies of both tourists and tourism enterprises. Furthermore, the study explores the relationship between temperature constraints and the broader holiday system, shedding light on the complex dynamics at play in tourists' decision-making processes.The findings of this research will contribute to the scientific understanding of the interaction between high temperatures and tourism in China. Moreover, the study's outcomes will inform government agencies and tourism enterprises in the development of effective policies and plans to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on the tourism industry and enhance its resilience.

We hope that these revisions adequately address the concern you raised about the motivation of the study. Thank you for bringing it to our attention, and we appreciate your valuable feedback.

3. The research gap and state-art is not explained

Response: Thank you for providing feedback on the explanation of the research gap and state-of-the-art in the article. We have carefully considered your suggestion and have revised the relevant sections to address these concerns.

This study aims to contribute to existing literature by addressing a significant research gap in understanding the interaction between high temperatures and tourism within China. While previous studies have explored climate change impacts on tourism, limited attention has been given specifically to how high temperatures affect tourists' travel preferences and destination choices in China. Therefore, this research seeks to fill this gap by examining the unique influence of high temperatures on tourism within China.

Regarding the state-of-the-art, this study builds upon existing knowledge about climate change's effects on tourism. Previous research has primarily focused on broader climate factors such as temperature increases, precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events. However, less attention has been paid to high temperatures as a distinct meteorological and climatic factor. By investigating how high temperatures influence tourists' behavior and decision-making processes, this study aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between climate change and tourism in China.

We believe that these revisions provide a clearer and more concise explanation of both the research gap and state-of-the-art. We appreciate your valuable feedback, and we hope that these revisions address your concerns.

4. Please include recent literature in the literature review section.

Response: Revised according to the reviewer’s suggestion

5.Please expand the contribution of this study and be specific. Suppose, Firstly.... secondly...,.

Response: Revised the conclusion section to offer a detailed and specific explanation of the study's contributions.

Firstly, our findings indicate that tourists seeking respite from summer heat exhibit a preference for short-distance excursions and destinations abundant in natural resources. This valuable insight equips tourism enterprises with the necessary information to tailor their offerings and marketing strategies to cater to the specific needs and preferences of heat-escape tourists. Furthermore, comprehending these travel patterns can assist destination management organizations in formulating sustainable tourism practices that conserve natural resources while simultaneously satisfying tourists' demands.

Secondly, Our analysis reveals a gradual shift over time in the development of heat-escape tourism products, with a growing focus on artificial water leisure regions and heat-escape cities. This finding underscores the significance of diversifying destinations and developing alternative tourist attractions to cater to evolving travel preferences. Tourism stakeholders can utilize this information to identify emerging destinations and invest in infrastructure and services that meet the changing demands of heat-escape tourists.Thirdly, given China's vast territory, each summer resort possesses unique characteristics and conditions, thereby offering differentiated products based on the regional climate.

Furthermore, our case study of Shanghai Disneyland reveals that the holiday system's significance outweighs temperature constraints. This insight emphasizes the multifaceted nature of tourists' decision-making processes, where factors like accessibility, entertainment options, and overall holiday experience play a crucial role alongside temperature considerations. Understanding these complex dynamics helps tourism enterprises and policymakers in designing comprehensive tourism strategies that consider various factors beyond just high temperatures.

Overall, this study provides a scientific basis for government agencies and tourism enterprises to develop policies and plans that effectively address the challenges and opportunities presented by high temperatures and climate change. By incorporating the specific findings and insights from this research, stakeholders can make informed decisions to enhance the resilience and sustainability of the tourism industry in the face of a changing climate.

6. The methodology is well explained.

Response:The gratitude is extended for the feedback provided.

7. The discussion section needs improvement with practical implications and is supported by relevant literature.

Response:Thank you for providing feedback on the discussion section and highlighting the need for improvement in terms of practical implications and supporting literature. We greatly appreciate your valuable input and fully recognize the significance of delivering a comprehensive and applicable discussion that is firmly grounded in relevant scholarly sources. After careful consideration of your suggestion, we have made revisions to address these concerns.

8.More in-depth and logical explanation is compulsory to improve the result's discussion.

Response:We have carefully considered your suggestion and have revised the discussion section accordingly.

9.The policy implication section is the core section of research work; thus, policy implication needs immense rework and should be aligned with the main findings and should be relevant to the sample country's context.

Response:We have carefully considered your suggestion and have reworked the policy implication section to address these concerns.  

Reviewer 3 Report

Dear Authors

Although the study addresses the effects of climate change on the tourism industry with secondary data, it is unclear which gaps it can fill in the literature and how it can contribute. As such, it is necessary to explain in which aspects it is originality. Moreover, both the theoretical and practical implications of the study need to be enriched and strengthened.

Author Response

Although the study addresses the effects of climate change on the tourism industry with secondary data, it is unclear which gaps it can fill in the literature and how it can contribute. As such, it is necessary to explain in which aspects it is originality. Moreover, both the theoretical and practical implications of the study need to be enriched and strengthened.

Response:Thank you for providing feedback on the need to clarify the study's contribution to the literature, enhance its theoretical and practical implications, and explain its originality. We have carefully considered your suggestion and made revisions accordingly.

Revised Explanation of Contribution and Originality: In response to your feedback, we have revised the study to provide a clearer explanation of its contribution to existing literature as well as its originality in addressing knowledge gaps. Our research makes several significant contributions to understanding the effects of climate change on the tourism industry. Firstly, while previous studies have primarily focused on broader impacts, our research specifically examines heat-escape tourism as a phenomenon. By exploring travel patterns and destination preferences among tourists seeking relief from high temperatures, we shed light on a distinct segment of the tourism market that has received limited attention in current literature. This novel focus on heat-escape tourism contributes to a deeper understanding of how climate change influences travel behavior and destination choices.Furthermore, our study utilizes secondary data from various sources including tourism statistics, climate data, and destination profiles. By integrating and analyzing these diverse datasets comprehensively, we provide a more holistic assessment of how high temperatures impact the sample country's tourism industry. This integrated approach adds value by offering an enhanced understanding of the complex relationship between climate change and tourism.

Theoretical Implications: Our study contributes theoretically by bridging the gap between climate change research and tourism studies. By examining the specific context of heat-escape tourism, we expand the theoretical framework for comprehending tourists' behavioral responses to climate-related factors. This enriches the broader literature on climate change adaptation, destination choice, and tourist behavior.

Practical Implications: In terms of practical implications, we have further developed and reinforced recommendations for tourism stakeholders and policymakers. These recommendations emphasize prioritizing sustainable destination development, enhancing destination resilience to climate change, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and investing in research and monitoring. These practical implications provide actionable guidance for industry practitioners and policymakers in addressing challenges posed by high temperatures on the tourism sector.

By elucidating the study's contribution to literature, emphasizing its originality, as well as enhancing both theoretical and practical implications, we hope these revisions significantly enhance overall quality and value of this research.

Reviewer 4 Report

In recent decades, all countries in the world are concerned about the phenomenon of global warming. As an important natural resource and tourism resource, climate conditions are one of the key elements that cannot be ignored in the process of tourism development. This paper takes China as a case area to carry out research on the relationship between high temperature and tourism, which undoubtedly has important research value. But the article has obvious shortcomings.

First, the main defect of the paper is that the structure of the paper is loose, just like a platter, and the internal logical correlation between various parts is weak. Moreover, the author only relies on a special case of Disney to support that the holiday system is more restrictive than the high-temperature system, which is not enough to support the last conclusion of the paper.

Second, the author provided 33 articles for reference, of which only 6 have been published since 2020 (including 2020), accounting for 18.18% of the total number of advanced articles. Therefore, it is reasonable to think that the author has not mastered and cited the latest literature.

Author Response

Response: We greatly appreciate your feedback regarding the shortcomings of our paper, including its loose structure, weak logical correlation between different sections, and limited inclusion of recent literature. We recognize the significance of addressing these issues to enhance the overall quality of our research. After careful consideration of your suggestions, we have made revisions to improve the coherence and organization of the paper.

In response to your feedback, we have revised the study to provide a clearer explanation of its contribution to the existing literature and its originality in addressing knowledge gaps. Our research makes several significant contributions to understanding the impacts of climate change on the tourism industry. Firstly, while previous studies have predominantly focused on broader impacts, our research specifically examines the phenomenon of heat-escape tourism. By exploring travel patterns and destination preferences among tourists seeking relief from high temperatures, we shed light on a distinct segment of the tourism market that has received limited attention in current literature. This novel focus on heat-escape tourism contributes to a deeper understanding of how climate change influences travel behavior and destination choices.

Furthermore, our study utilizes secondary data from various sources, including tourism statistics, climate data, and destination profiles. By comprehensively integrating and analyzing these diverse datasets, we provide a more holistic assessment of how high temperatures impact the tourism industry in the sample country. This integrated approach adds value by offering an enhanced understanding of the complex relationship between climate change and tourism.

Additionally, we have revised the conclusion section to provide a detailed and specific explanation of the study's contributions. Firstly, our findings indicate that tourists seeking respite from summer heat exhibit a preference for short-distance excursions and destinations abundant in natural resources. This valuable insight equips tourism enterprises with the necessary information to tailor their offerings and marketing strategies to cater to the specific needs and preferences of heat-escape tourists. Moreover, understanding these travel patterns can assist destination management organizations in formulating sustainable tourism practices that conserve natural resources while simultaneously satisfying tourists' demands.

Secondly, our analysis reveals a gradual shift over time in the development of heat-escape tourism products, with a growing focus on artificial water leisure regions and heat-escape cities. This finding underscores the significance of diversifying destinations and developing alternative tourist attractions to accommodate evolving travel preferences. Tourism stakeholders can utilize this information to identify emerging destinations and invest in infrastructure and services that meet the changing demands of heat-escape tourists. Thirdly, given China's vast territory, each summer resort possesses unique characteristics and conditions, thereby offering differentiated products based on the regional climate. Additionally, our case study of Shanghai Disneyland highlights that the significance of the holiday system surpasses temperature constraints. This insight emphasizes the multifaceted nature of tourists' decision-making processes, where factors such as accessibility, entertainment options, and overall holiday experience play a crucial role alongside temperature considerations. Understanding these complex dynamics assists tourism enterprises and policymakers in designing comprehensive tourism strategies that consider various factors beyond just high temperatures.

Overall, this study provides a scientific foundation for government agencies and tourism enterprises to develop effective policies and plans that address the challenges and opportunities presented by high temperatures and climate change. By incorporating the specific findings and insights from this research, stakeholders can make informed decisions to enhance the resilience and sustainability of the tourism industry in the face of a changing climate.

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Authors address my previous comments 

Reviewer 3 Report

The paper has been corrected and even improved in the way indicated. 

Reviewer 4 Report

The topic of the thesis has important research significance. The research method adopted by the author is feasible and the data source is reliable. The author has made some modifications to the paper, and the quality of the paper has been significantly improved.