A Study of Spatial Evolution Patterns of Tourist Destinations Disaster Risks

Abstract

Due to the strong suddenness, large destruction and wide impact, disasters can cause serious property and safety loss to tourists, damage significantly tourism infrastructure, properties and resources. In order to prevent disaster and to better understand future disaster risk evolution, we have built a comprehensive disaster risk evaluation model using selected 17 economic and social indicators from tourist destinations in Jilin Province based on the four-factor theory of natural disaster risk formation. The model was used to assess tourist destination disaster risk in Jilin Province for the period of 2009 - 2014. Using GIS technology, we have developed a tourist destination disaster risk zoning map of 2009 – 2014 for Jilin Province, classified the spatial evolution patterns of tourist destination disaster risk. Results showed that the increases in tourist destination disaster risks in Jilin may be spatially evolved by edge contact, sudden internal elevation, swinging and leaping; the decreases in tourist destination disaster risks may be spatially evolved by edge recession, sudden internal reduction and contiguous reduction. The disaster risk spatial evolution model is of value for the emergency department of Jilin Province to take specific emergency measures according to a particular pattern.