Evaluation of cultural ecosystem services in mountain-type scenic areas: an importance-performance analysis of the Road of Tang Poetry in Eastern Zhejiang, China

The Road of Tang Poetry in Eastern Zhejiang is a cultural route where nature and culture harmoniously intertwine. Mountain-type scenic areas play a vital role in providing core cultural ecosystem services (CES). To investigate the significance and distribution of landscape resources along the Poetry Road, a preliminary study was conducted in the densely concentrated areas of Shaoxing, Taizhou, and Ningbo. From these regions, six representative mountain-type scenic areas were selected for the research: Kuaiji Mountain, Qinwang Mountain, Wanwei Mountain, Tianmu Mountain, Tiantai Mountain, and Xuedou Mountain. Based on their designation status, these areas were categorized into national and non-national scenic areas. The research employed a combination of online and offline questionnaires, as well as semi-structured interviews. An importance-performance analysis (IPA) was introduced, and SPSS software was utilized to conduct U-tests on the statistical results. This analysis aimed to compare the differences in importance and performance of CES among the various mountain-type scenic areas. Furthermore, an overall evaluation of CES for the mountain-type scenic area was carried out using an optimization demand zoning approach, involving categories such as "Keeping up the good job", "Concentrate here", "Possible overkill", and "Low priority". Additionally, a comparative analysis was conducted between the two types of mountain-type scenic areas, considering aspects like aesthetic value, leisure tourism, cultural diversity, and nature education. The findings indicate that the overall importance of the core CES provided by mountain-type scenic areas significantly exceeds the performance score, implying that public expectations for these sites surpass the actual experience. Notably, the distinction between the two types of mountain-type scenic areas, national and non-national, lies primarily in their performance. Among the evaluation subcomponents, respondents' perceptions are notably influenced by natural resource advantages, architectural style, recreation offerings, site iconicity, and historical heritage and preservation. The abundance of cultural activities emerges as a crucial factor contributing to the substantial performance disparity between the two types of scenic areas, underscoring the significant impact of cultural heritage on the development imbalance in mountain-type region. Furthermore, cultural heritage plays a pivotal role in promoting the establishment and enhancing the competitiveness and identity of mountain-type scenic areas. Consequently, prioritizing the protection and utilization of non-national mountain-type scenic areas cultural heritage can effectively elevate the level of CES supply and meet the demand in mountain-type scenic areas. The IPA has promoted the CES performance of mountain-type scenic areas to be closer to its importance, thereby fostering a more balanced CES of the Road of Tang Poetry in Eastern Zhejiang.