Spatial Distribution Pattern and Influencing Factors of Homestays in Chongqing, China

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This manuscript proposes an analysis on the characteristics and laws of the spatial layout of homestays, and analyzes the influencing factors and spatial heterogeneity of the spatial distribution of homestays. The paper is well structured and the reader can follow the rationale of the essay, also because of a very plain and easy English style and grammar. However, the manuscript can be further improved by considering the following suggestions. 

A new paragraph on the rationale and content of each section at the end of the introduction would better guide the readers through the materials of the paper.

467-468: do supporting infrastructure and social service systems have to be perfect in order to encourage homestay development? Perhaps they are currently not adequate, but it is difficult to think they have to be perfect to promote homestay development. On the one hand, even if they were perfect, we are not sure homestay would develop in rural areas in the same way they did in urban areas, due to various circumstances. On the other hand, homestay developed more in rural areas with good natural scenery than in those without, meaning that infrastructure and service, imperfect in all rural areas, although might play a preeminent role, are not the needle of the scale.

476-477: why should we adhere to the strategy of urban-rural integration and Rural Revitalization? This statement needs to be (I) explained (II) supported by bibliography. Why should the government "give preferential policies" to high-end homestays? Which benefits should high-end homestays bring to local economy and communities? Would there be any drawbacks? 

428: it might be dangerous leaving the flow of land, capitals and resources to market forces. This might pursue the best economic value, but social and environmental sustainability might be compromised. Authors highlighted possible downsides of homestay development in the introduction (displacement, relocation, destruction of social relations, intensification of competition between people in the same village, widening of the gap between the rich and the poor, weakening of social ties), would not they be exacerbated by unbridled market forces?

Conclusions need to be revised. They currently just reiterates the arguments of the manuscript, but they should also draw together the main points of the paper to explain how they connect and relate and they should also place the concepts in a somewhat wider context. 

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Formula in equation 1 can be written better.

Table 1 can be made clearer regarding the division. Need horizontal lines for delimiting variable names and explanations.

Does the first type of Table 1 mean “dependent variable”?

Give an explanation for the model in equation (4), what is the dependent variable Y and the independent variables X.

Provide a reference for the VIF value limit.

In line 283 it is written Figure 4 it should be Figure 3.

Add the name of horizontal and vertical axes of the graph in Fig 3.

Add parameter estimation method for GWR model briefly.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf