Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) represents the outstanding crystallization of human civilization and it has received extensive attention from scholars in various countries. Studying the spatial distribution and influencing factors of ICH in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area can help to improve the protection and utilization of ICH. Using quantitative statistical analysis methods, GIS spatial analysis methods, and Geodetector, we analyzed the level structure (provincial and national levels), category structure (ten categories), and spatial distribution of 509 national and provincial ICH items in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area and then explored their influencing factors. We concluded that: (1) The structural characteristics of ICH vary significantly, and the level structure is dominated by provincial ICH items; the category structure is complete and mainly includes traditional skill and traditional music. (2) The spatial distribution of ICH in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area is dense in the west and sparse in the east, with a pattern of “one main core, three major cores, and two minor cores”. There are large differences in the degree of concentration of ICH at the county level; different categories of ICH have different distribution densities and concentration areas. Yuzhong District, Shizhu County, and Wanzhou District are dense areas of distribution for different categories of ICH. (3) The influences of different factors on the spatial distribution of ICH in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area vary greatly. Socioeconomic and historical–cultural factors are more influential than natural geographic factors, among which economic development, culture, and ethnicity are the most influential, but the interaction between the two dimensions of natural geography and socioeconomic and historical culture has a more significant influence on the spatial distribution of ICH than single-dimensional factors. (4) Proposals for optimizing the spatial layout, protection, and development of ICH in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area are provided from the perspectives of culture and tourism integration and sustainable development.

An in-depth study of the mechanisms governing the generation, evolution, and regulation of differences in tourism economics holds significant value for the rational utilization of tourism resources and the promotion of synergistic tourism economic development. This study utilizes mathematical statistical analysis and GIS spatial analysis to construct a single indicator measure and a comprehensive indicator measure to analyze tourism-related data in the research area from 2004 to 2019. The main factors influencing the spatial and temporal differences in the tourism economy are analyzed using two methods, namely, multiple linear regression and geodetector. The temporal evolution, overall differences and differences within each city group fluctuate downwards, while the differences between groups fluctuate upwards. Domestic tourism economic differences contribute to over 90% of the overall tourism economic differences. Spatial divergence, the proportion of the tourism economy accounted for by spatial differences is obvious, the comprehensive level of the tourism economy can be divided into five levels. The dominant factors in the formation of the pattern of spatial and temporal differences in the tourism economy are the conditions of tourism resources based on class-A tourist attractions and the level of tourism industry and services based on star hotels and travel agencies. This study addresses the regional imbalance of tourism economic development in city clusters and with the intent of promoting balanced and high-quality development of regional tourism economies.