The regional comprehensive economic partnership (RCEP) provides a new institutional platform for regional tourism cooperation. Bilateral tourism relations (BTR), the basic units of a tourism relations network, remain insufficiently quantified, limiting the accurate identification of the foundations for cooperation. Therefore, this study constructs a comprehensive evaluation framework for sustainable bilateral tourism relations (SBTR).
Annual bilateral tourism flow data for RCEP countries from 2003 to 2023 were obtained from UN Tourism. The entropy method was applied to measure SBTR. Gephi and ArcMap were employed to examine spatio-temporal evolution, and key influencing factors were identified using the Multiple Regression Quadratic Assignment Procedure in UCINET.
SBTR shows a fluctuating upward trend from 2004–2023, with rising mean and median values, along with increasing disparities. High-type network connectivity was markedly strengthened. Population size, geographical proximity, bilateral trade and political relations significantly influence SBTR.
Limitations regarding macroeconomic factors, heterogeneity and causality persist with a macro-level focus restricted to RCEP members. Future studies should broaden the theoretical and scalar perspectives. Fostering “relation quality” and institutional synergy within RCEP – coupled with country-specific differentiation – can enhance cooperative sustainability and regional equilibrium.
This study deepens the theoretical understanding of BTR by developing a comprehensive evaluation framework and extending the analytical perspective from “country-pair relations” to “relation networks”. It further conceptualises SBTR as a sustainable interaction model characterised by two-way cooperation and mutual benefit, thereby advancing the understanding of BTR.
