Knowledge mapping of research on sustainable utilization of landscape resources: a case study of Guilin National Innovation Demonstration Zone for sustainable development in China

Worldwide interest has increasingly focused on the sustainable utilization of landscape as a resource in urban areas, emphasizing its ecological, cultural and social significance. This study examines Guilin City, China, as a representative case study due to its rich landscape resources and status as a national innovation demonstration zone for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This study uses bibliometric visualiza- tion tools like CiteSpace and VOSviewer to analyze research trends from 1980 to 2021 in the Chinese Aca- demic Journal Network Publishing Database (CNKI). The results show increasing academic interest over three stages: initiation (1982-1997), exploration (1998-2004), and diversified development (2005-2021). Contribu- tions are predominantly from local academic and tourism sectors, indicating a strong regional influence; how- ever, relatively weak interinstitutional collaboration occurs, suggesting potential for more integrated research efforts. Primary research is also concentrated within economic disciplines, particularly tourism-related ones. The evolution of research frontiers reveals three main paths: urban development strategies, industrial eco- nomic theories and empirical validation, and ecosystem analysis and evaluation. A multidisciplinary approach and stronger collaborative efforts are crucial to enhance research on ecological values and empirical models while supporting evidence-based urban development strategies in Guilin City and comparable cities globally.