Tourism's impact on rural communities is multifaceted, often leading to conflicts stemming from incompatible aspirations and values. While explicit conflicts are well-documented, implicit conflicts – psychological discomfort, grievances, and individual confrontations – have received less attention, especially regarding their spatial distribution. This study addresses this gap by examining how residents in different spatial structures (core, expanded, peripheral) within a tourism community experience implicit conflict. Drawing on core-periphery theory, it posits that spatial inequalities influence conflict perception. The study area is classified into three zones based on distance from the tourism center and development level to explore the spatial dimensions of conflict and introduce the concept of 'spatial relative deprivation' to interpret residents' experiences.

The literature defines 'conflict' broadly as a process triggered when one party perceives negative impacts from another. Tourism, while beneficial for rural development, often creates conflicts related to resource allocation, land use, and cultural values. Existing research emphasizes explicit conflicts, neglecting implicit dimensions. Studies on tourism impacts highlight the significance of distance from the tourism center, but few integrate geographical and sociological perspectives to understand the spatial dynamics of conflict. Core-periphery theory explains uneven development, while relative deprivation theory helps understand community discontent. This study expands on these theories by examining how spatial configuration impacts perceived implicit conflict within a tourism community.

The study uses Qingmuchuan Ancient Town, China, as its case study, classifying it into core (old street), expanded (new street), and peripheral (surrounding villages) areas. A mixed-methods approach employing semi-structured interviews and participatory mapping (PM) was used to gather data from 330 residents. The PM involved providing participants with maps to mark conflict locations. Data analysis involved qualitative coding using NVivo and spatial analysis (kernel density mapping, standard deviation ellipse) using ArcGIS. Qualitative data were spatialized by linking thematic categories to mapped points. The grounded theory approach was used to identify themes from the qualitative data. Demographic data on participants was collected to help understand any potential correlations.

The study identified four main conflict types: management, economic, environmental, and cultural conflicts, with 18 subcategories. Significant differences in conflict perception emerged across the three areas. Management conflict, encompassing issues like poor public services and lack of planning, was prevalent in all areas. Economic conflict, focused on unequal benefit distribution, was strong in core and peripheral areas, with core residents highlighting the uneven distribution of tourism revenue between the old and new streets. Peripheral residents experienced economic marginalization. Environmental conflict, concerning noise pollution, crowding, and water pollution, was most prominent in the expanded area, but also present in other zones. Cultural conflict, centered on the loss of authenticity and traditional practices, was concentrated in the core area, while the peripheral area experienced a concern over the erosion of local folkways. Spatial analysis revealed that conflict distribution exhibited both internality (within residential areas) and externality (spreading throughout the town). The expanded area showed the strongest internality, while the peripheral area displayed the most pronounced externality.

The findings support the hypothesis that spatial location significantly impacts perceived tourism implicit conflict. The integration of spatial and qualitative analysis provides a nuanced understanding of conflict mechanisms. The concept of 'spatial relative deprivation' is introduced to explain the perceived inequalities and emotional responses resulting from spatial comparisons. The study challenges the assumption that residents’ support for tourism is directly related to economic benefits, highlighting the importance of spatial justice and community well-being. The varying spatial distribution of conflict across different resident groups underscores the need for context-specific solutions in tourism planning.

This study advances tourism conflict research by integrating spatial and qualitative methodologies, revealing the complex spatial dynamics of implicit conflict. The concept of 'spatial relative deprivation' enhances our understanding of resident experiences. Policy implications include prioritizing community well-being in tourism planning, adopting ecological network planning, and establishing spatial compensation mechanisms to address inequalities. Future research could explore the perspectives of other stakeholders and employ more advanced spatial analysis techniques.

The study's limitations include the precision of paper-based PPGIS mapping, the potential impact of varying map-reading abilities on data accuracy, and the focus solely on resident perspectives. Future research should address these limitations by using more advanced techniques, providing more detailed instructions, and incorporating other stakeholders’ views.