Tourism industry development, rural digitalization, and green total factor productivity

• Tourism development positively influences regional green total factor productivity. • Rural digitalization enhances regional green total factor productivity. • Rural digitalization moderates the link between tourism and productivity. • Tourism's impact on green productivity varies by region. Utilizing data from all 31 provinces in China from 2010 to 2022, this study examines the effect of tourism development and rural digitalization on regional green total factor productivity. Empirical findings support that tourism development positively affects regional green total factor productivity. Rural digitalization improves regional green total factor productivity (TFP) and moderates the relationship between tourism development and this productivity metric; moderating effects exhibit heterogeneity across regions. The impact of tourism development on green total factor productivity exhibits regional variation.