Research on Tourist Satisfaction Evaluation and Development Status of Tourism in Tai’an ()
1. Introduction
In recent years, Tai’an City has taken the “Mount Taishan+” strategy as its core, driving the transformation of the tourism industry from a “ticket economy” to a “comprehensive economy” and from “single-point tourism” to “holistic tourism”, achieving remarkable results. In 2024, Tai’an received 94.294 million domestic tourists, generating a tourism revenue of 90.27 billion yuan. The number of tourists climbing Mount Taishan exceeded 8 million for two consecutive years, and the “Mount Taishan+” tourism industry cluster was selected as one of the first pillar-type flying geese clusters in the province.
However, the development of cultural tourism in Tai’an faces dual challenges: on the one hand, resources such as seaside resorts in Qingdao and Confucian culture in Qufu within the province form differentiated competition, leading to continuous pressure on tourist distribution; on the other hand, against the backdrop of tourism consumption upgrading, tourist demands have shifted from single sightseeing to deep experience, significantly increasing the requirements for service quality. Yang Hongtao, secretary of the Tai’an Municipal Party Committee, emphasized that “keeping more tourists and expanding consumption” is the key to the “Mount Taishan+” article, and the core lies in accurately grasping tourist demands and improving satisfaction.
Existing research on tourism satisfaction in Tai’an has obvious limitations: first, most studies are outdated—such as those conducted by Zhang Zuoxiang and Qi Lingling—and can no longer reflect market changes since the implementation of the ‘Mount Taishan+’ strategy [1] [2]; second, the research dimensions are singular, focusing mostly on individual scenic spots or specific products, and lacking systematic research on comprehensive satisfaction in the context of all-for-one tourism. This study fills the gaps in timeliness, comprehensiveness, and scientificity of existing research by constructing a multi-dimensional evaluation index system that is compatible with the “Mount Taishan+” strategy, providing a theoretical framework and methodological reference for the satisfaction research of mountain-type tourism cities.
The core of this study revolves around two major modules: firstly, analyzing the current status of tourism development in Tai’an City; secondly, constructing a scientifically feasible evaluation index system for tourist satisfaction, with tourism resources and environment, tourism products, tourism infrastructure, and tourism services as the four core dimensions, refining specific evaluation indicators, and laying the foundation for subsequent empirical research.
2. Current Status of Tourism Development in Tai’an City
2.1. Basic Advantages
Tai’an boasts a profound historical and cultural heritage. Mount Taishan, as a spiritual totem of Chinese civilization, carries the history of six emperors’ worship ceremonies, with 2,516 stone inscriptions and 18,195 ancient and famous trees, all of great value. The Dawenkou culture, Yellow River culture, and Water Margin culture converge here, forming a diverse cultural system composed of 12 national-level intangible cultural heritages. In terms of industrial development, the scale continues to expand. In 2024, tourism revenue exceeded 90 billion yuan, and in the first quarter of 2025, overseas tourists increased by 76%. Product supply continues to be enriched, with the launch of new formats such as VR digital experience halls and climbing assistance robots, and cultural performances such as the “Fengshan Grand Ceremony” are upgraded and iterated. Infrastructure is gradually improved, with seven dedicated tourist bus lines, the “Mount Taishan Easy Parking” smart platform, and 5G full coverage scenic spots enhancing convenience. Service quality is steadily improving, with a robust volunteer service system and a continuous decline in the complaint rate per 10,000 tourists.
2.2. Existing Problems
The tourism industry in Tai’an City has developed rapidly, but there are still certain issues.
Firstly, there is a lack of resource integration and product innovation: some scenic spots emphasize landscape over culture, fail to deeply explore cultural connotations, and lack sufficient integration of culture and tourism. The linkage between resources such as the Dawenkou site and Mount Taishan is weak, and there is a noticeable homogenization of products.
Secondly, there are obvious shortcomings in infrastructure: Traffic signs and consultation services in scenic spots are not perfect, and there are issues such as “dirty, messy, and poor conditions” and “lack of toilet paper” in tourist toilets; during peak seasons, there is an imbalance between the supply and demand of accommodation resources, with hotel prices at the mountain top soaring to over a thousand yuan during holidays like National Day. There is also a lack of emergency shelters, leading to negative public opinion due to tourists being forced to squeeze into toilets to avoid the rain [3].
Thirdly, weak emergency response and service capabilities: In the face of the combination of peak passenger flow and severe weather, there is a lack of emergency plans, leading to prominent issues such as cableway shutdowns and difficulties in descending the mountain. Some service personnel lack professional expertise, and the quality of tour guide explanations varies greatly. High-grade travel agencies are still nonexistent.
Fourthly, market order still needs to be regulated: despite the implementation of flexible law enforcement, phenomena such as individual merchants ripping off customers and arbitrarily raising prices still persist. The rectification of “unlicensed tour guides” and “unlicensed taxis” is not thorough enough, which undermines the tourist experience [4].
3. Construction of a Tourist Satisfaction Evaluation Index System
In the context of increasingly fierce market competition, for a tourist city to succeed, it must place great emphasis on the thoughts and feelings of tourists and enhance their satisfaction. This necessitates research on the evaluation index system of tourist satisfaction.
3.1. Design Principles
First, the principle of adaptability closely aligns with the “Mount Taishan+” strategy, highlighting the characteristics of “mountain core + comprehensive integration”, taking into account both traditional sightseeing and new experience needs, and covering the evaluation of Mount Taishan and its surrounding comprehensive resources.
Second, the principle of scientificity: Based on tourism management theory, ensure that the indicators are logically rigorous and have clear connotations. The secondary indicators should be independent yet complementary, with unified and clear definitions, to guarantee the objectivity of the data.
Third, the guiding principle: it should focus on tourists’ pain points, set targeted indicators such as mountain-climbing convenience and emergency services, integrate trends such as smart tourism and cultural-tourism integration, and provide guidance for strategy formulation.
3.2. Construction of Indicator System
The design of the indicator system closely aligns with the “Mount Taishan+” strategy and the actual tourism situation in Tai’an, specifically matching development advantages and issues: the resource and environment dimension includes natural landscapes, cultural values, etc., echoing Mount Taishan’s dual heritage and diverse cultural endowments; the tourism product dimension covers core experiences, new business forms, etc., directly addressing the pain point of insufficient product innovation; the infrastructure dimension includes transportation, accommodation, etc., addressing the shortcomings in facilities; the tourism service dimension encompasses personnel quality, market order, etc., responding to the demand for improved service quality. The secondary indicators comprehensively cover the entire process of tourist consumption, ensuring that the evaluation accurately adapts to the characteristics of Tai’an’s tourism development [5] [6].
This article constructs an evaluation system consisting of “4 primary indicators, 13 secondary indicators, and 27 tertiary indicators” (See Tables 1-4).
Table 1. Construction of secondary indicators for tourism resources and environment.
Secondary Indicators |
Third-Level Indicators |
Indicator Interpretation |
Attractiveness of natural landscapes |
Satisfaction with the landscape of Mount Taishan |
Evaluation of natural landscapes such as the terrain, vegetation, and sunrise of Mount Taishan |
Landscape uniqueness |
Differentiated evaluation of other mountain and coastal resources |
Cultural resource value |
Protection status of historical relics |
Satisfaction with the protection of cultural relics such as the Dai Temple and stone carvings |
Depth of cultural experience |
Evaluation of experience activities, such as the Fengshan Culture and Dawenkou Culture |
Ecological environment quality |
Air quality |
Evaluation of air freshness |
Environmental sanitation status |
Cleanliness of public areas |
Ecological protection effectiveness |
Evaluation of vegetation and wildlife protection |
Degree of resource integration |
Core resource interactivity |
Satisfaction with the route connection between Mount Taishan and the surrounding scenic spots |
Table 2. Construction of secondary indicators for travel products.
Secondary Indicators |
Third-Level Indicators |
Indicator Interpretation |
Core product experience |
Mountain climbing experience |
Satisfaction with the design of hiking routes and the setup of observation decks |
Cultural performance quality |
Evaluation of the content and effect of performances, such as “Fengshan Grand Ceremony” |
Site park experience |
Satisfaction with visiting and experiencing archaeological parks, such as the Dawenkou Site |
Richness of new business format products |
Smart tourism experience |
Evaluations of technology products, such as VR experience halls and climbing robots |
Rural tourism quality |
Satisfaction with rural tourism experiences, such as folk customs and pastoral scenery |
Characteristics of cultural and creative products |
Evaluation of the design and practicality of cultural and creative products such as “Taiyouli” |
Cost performance |
Rationality of ticket price |
Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of scenic spot tickets and package ticket prices |
Product value perception |
Evaluation of the overall value for money of tourism products |
Table 3. Construction of secondary indicators for travel service.
Secondary Indicators |
Third-Level Indicators |
Indicator Interpretation |
Service personnel quality |
Staff attitude |
The service attitude of ticket sellers, ticket checkers, and customer service personnel |
Service response efficiency |
Emergency service guarantee |
Response to emergency services such as medical aid and lost person guidance |
Table 4. Construction of secondary indicators for tourism infrastructure.
Secondary Indicators |
Third-Level Indicators |
Indicator Interpretation |
Convenience of transportation |
Internal transportation connection |
Coverage and punctuality rate of urban bus and tourist lines |
Transportation facilities within the scenic area |
The convenience and safety of internal transportation, such as cableways and sightseeing buses |
Quality of accommodation facilities |
Comfort level of accommodation environment |
Evaluation of hygiene, sound insulation, and other conditions of hotels and guesthouses |
Value for money in accommodation |
The degree of alignment between accommodation prices and service quality |
Catering service level |
Catering hygiene conditions |
Evaluation of food safety and environmental hygiene in restaurants |
Reasonableness of food and beverage prices |
Evaluation of cost-effectiveness in dining consumption |
Public service facilities |
Parking lot supply |
Number of parking spaces, reasonableness of charges, and convenience |
Public toilet quality |
Evaluation of toilet hygiene, quantity, and intelligence level |
Adequacy of rest facilities |
Facilities such as benches in scenic spots and urban public areas |
4. Conclusions
This article first analyzes the current situation of tourism development in Tai’an City, pointing out the advantages and problems of Tai’an’s tourism at present. In response to these issues, and in order to enhance the development level of Tai’an’s tourism industry, this article proposes the following suggestions. Firstly, deepen resource integration and enrich product supply. Using “Mount Taishan+” as a link, create a coordinated route of “core scenic spots + surrounding resources”, promoting the integration of Mount Taishan with Dawenkou Site, Dongping Lake, and other resources into a chain; deeply explore the connotations of the Fengshan culture and Dawenkou culture, develop immersive experience projects, and enhance product differentiation and cultural depth. Secondly, address infrastructure deficiencies and strengthen emergency support. Accelerate the improvement of traffic signs and the construction of consultation service points in scenic spots, and promote the standardized renovation of tourist toilets. Establish an integrated mechanism of ‘weather warning + passenger flow control + emergency response’, improve emergency plans for sudden incidents such as cableway shutdowns and severe weather, and enhance emergency response capabilities. Thirdly, we should enhance service quality and standardize market order. We should strengthen the training of practitioners, carry out the selection of gold-medal tour guides, cultivate high-level travel agencies, and improve the professional level of service.
Additionally, 27 indicators were selected from four aspects: tourism resources and environment, tourism products, tourism infrastructure, and tourism services, to construct a scientifically feasible evaluation index system for tourist satisfaction. This indicator system can systematically quantify tourists’ satisfaction with the four core dimensions of tourism in Tai’an. Analyzing data from questionnaires helps to understand the level of satisfaction among tourists and precisely identify the current pain points in Tai’an’s tourism industry.
Funding
This work is supported by the Science and Technology Innovation Development Project in the field of agriculture and social development in Tai’an City: Research on Tourism Development Strategies in Tai’an City Based on Tourist Satisfaction under the “Mount Taishan+” Context (2024NS078).
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the associate editor and the reviewers for their constructive comments and suggestions, which improved the quality of the paper.