Abstract: Catalyst theory emphasizes the activation of local areas to drive the overall development of a region, providing a new design approach for enhancing the vitality and optimizing the system of tourism spaces in tourism-oriented small towns. This paper focuses on the application of catalyst theory in the tourism spaces of such towns and proposes a systematic and feasible strategy titled 'five steps for tourism space design in tourismoriented small towns based on catalyst theory'. These steps include 'identifying catalysts', 'selecting catalysts', 'shaping catalysts', 'activating catalyst reactions' and 'controlling catalyst reactions'. The first three steps primarily focus on the placement of catalysts, while the latter two aim to guide the reactions of these catalysts. The goal is to promote the optimization, upgrading, and vitality enhancement of tourism spaces in small towns, thereby fostering the prosperous development of the tourism industry. This approach offers new theoretical insights and practical guidance for achieving sustainable development in small towns.