Abstract Obviously, there are some time-process and space-layer regular patterns in tourism development. In this article, the coupling characteristics of time and space regular patterns are discussed, both supply and demand being thought over. That means, with the lever of tourism development and the height of the area's layer become higher and higher, tourism will show some regular patterns. For some example, the development of tourism resources will turn from eyeless development to development with emphases to wide development to development with innovation. The development of tourism production will turn from resources development to simulate development to market induced development and at last to development inducing the market. The relation between tourism and environment will turn from oppose with each other to promote with each other to development cooperated with each other. The speed and quality of tourism will turn from high speed and low quality to middle speed and low quality to steady speed and high quality. The competition of tourism enterprises will turn from price competition to quality competition to culture competition. At the beginning, the tourism development will be dominated by the government, and then by both government and enterprises, and at last by enterprises. And at the same time, we find that the higher the area's layer is, the more advanced mode in tourism development would be emphasized. According to the practices in tourism plan of some areas in different layers such as Anxi county, Jiuquan district, Gansu province and West China, the existence of time-space-coupling mode is investigated. And then a time-space-united frame was put forward for tourism development and management.
2005, Vol. 20 
