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Network characteristics of inter-city tourist flows in the Yangtze River Delta of China: case study of the May Day Holiday based on Tencent migration big data

Author

Listed:
  • Peipei Wu

    (College of Business Administration, Shanghai Business School)

  • Xiaochuan Zhu

    (Shanghai Normal University)

  • Xiang Feng

    (Shanghai Normal University)

  • Huimin Liu

    (Shanghai Normal University)

  • Jianing Dong

    (University of Southampton)

Abstract

Based on the Tencent migration big data, we use the social network analysis method to construct a network of inter-city tourism flows among 160 municipal districts and county-level areas in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) of China and explore the network structure characteristics. The results show that holidays have a noticeable pulling effect on cross-city tourism. The tourism network of the YRD has basically formed four radial regional tourism sub-networks centered on Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Hefei. The development of the tourism network in the YRD is in an unbalanced state, and the attraction of tourist flow between cities shows a polarization phenomenon. The attraction of tourist flow between neighboring cities in the agglomerative subgroup is stronger, and the attraction weakens with the increase in distance. Based on the above findings, the paper puts forward suggestions such as breaking down administrative barriers, improving infrastructure, and signing a series of tourism industry cooperation and development agreements.

Suggested Citation

  • Peipei Wu & Xiaochuan Zhu & Xiang Feng & Huimin Liu & Jianing Dong, 2025. "Network characteristics of inter-city tourist flows in the Yangtze River Delta of China: case study of the May Day Holiday based on Tencent migration big data," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(5), pages 10041-10058, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:27:y:2025:i:5:d:10.1007_s10668-023-04297-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-04297-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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