The role of digital inclusive finance in promoting cross-border tourism: Evidence under the maritime community with a shared future framework

Abstract

In the context of the digital economy and the integration of culture and tourism, exploring the impact of digital inclusive finance on cross-border tourism revenue is of great theoretical and practical significance. This study uses panel data from Chinese prefecture-level and above cities to empirically analyze the effect of digital inclusive finance on cross-border tourism revenue, focusing on the moderating roles of trade openness and fiscal investment. The results show that digital inclusive finance significantly promotes cross-border tourism revenue, and this positive effect remains robust after various sensitivity tests. Mechanism analysis indicates that digital inclusive finance enhances the cross-border tourism experience by fostering the development of new digital infrastructure and improving information exchange efficiency. Additionally, the moderating effect analysis reveals that trade openness strengthens the positive impact of digital inclusive finance, while fiscal investment weakens it. These findings provide empirical support and policy insights for advancing the high-quality development of cross-border tourism, optimizing digital financial service systems, and refining regional openness strategies.