<p>This study examines the spatiotemporal evolution of the latent emissiveness of geoscience popularisation tourism (LEGPT) and proposes an “explicit–implicit” factor-analytic framework to extend the classic ‘core–periphery’ theory in the context of the LEGPT. Using data from 11 prefectural-level cities in Zhejiang Province from 2012 to 2023, we applied factor, cluster, Pearson’s correlation, and GIS-based spatial analyses to 32 indicators. The key findings are as follows: (1) LEGPT was primarily associated with explicit factors (86.355%) such as economic development, population, living standards, consumption level, and transportation accessibility, whereas implicit factors (8.890%) such as external connectivity and social security contributed marginally. Temporal variations in these five factors accounted for the observed spatiotemporal heterogeneity in the LEGPT. (2) The LEGPT was higher in cities with stronger socioeconomic foundations, and the formation of a distinct ‘core–periphery’ structure was evident, with Hangzhou, Ningbo, and Wenzhou as central poles. Over time, the LEGPT increased significantly across all cities, accompanied by spatial structural optimisation and a marked transition of lower-potential regions toward higher tiers. (3) Mechanistically, we identified a structural decline in the dominance of traditional explicit factors and an increasing influence of technological intelligence and digital mobility. (4) These findings substantiate the existence of a paradigm shift from hardware-dominated to dual-driven ‘hardware–software’ in LEGPT development, offering theoretical insights for regional tourism planning in the digital era.</p>