The types of ecosystem services are complex and diverse. This study estimated four ecosystem services, their trade-offs, and their synergistic outcomes in 2010, 2015, and 2020 using the InVEST model. Globally, results showed that waterfront ecosystem services are high (low) in the north (south), and that high-value areas are mainly in Sweden and Finland in Europe; the Congo in Africa; Russia, Southwest China, and Indonesia in Asia; the Northwestern United States and Canada in North America, and northeastern Peru and northwestern Brazil in South America. Overall, ecosystem services changed little during 2010–2020. Additionally, a notable trade-off was found between water yield and habitat quality, and strong synergies were found between water yield and carbon storage and sequestration, water yield and sediment delivery ratio, carbon storage and sequestration and sediment delivery ratio, and carbon storage and habitat quality. The results of this study could help promote sustainable development of waterfronts globally.

We collected data from approximately 500 tourism destinations and revenues of Xinjiang region, China, to assess tourism resources and improve tourism industry development. We analyzed the characteristics, geographical distributions, and environmental conditions of these tourism destinations, summarized changes in regional tourism revenue over the past 34 years, and proposed strategic suggestions for the region’s tourism development. Historical sites and architectures were found to be dominant, followed by natural scenic sites, with major hotspots located in the Altay Mountains, Urumqi-Turpan-Hami line, Ili region, and Aksu-Kashgar-Hotan line. A total of 65% of tourism destinations are located mainly in low altitudes (2,000 m). They correlate spatially with rivers and roads, often in areas with high heatwave index values. Although tourism revenues have grown rapidly in the past decades, with 1998, 2010, and 2015 as breakpoint years, Xinjiang’s tourism volume remains relatively low compared to China’s, especially in international tourism. In 2015, Xinjiang’s total tourism revenue made up 2.9% of China’s total, with international tourism accounting for just 0.5%. Based on the analysis, there is significant potential for tourism development in the Xinjiang region. Hence, we suggest developing mountainous forest tourism based on forest parks in middle and high-altitude areas with relatively lower heatwave index values, targeting the European market, expanding cultural tourism based on diverse ethnic groups, and creating “Silk Road” tourism routes with other western Chinese provinces.