Citywalk in China: analysis of regional and route characteristics

The West introduced Citywalk to China; since then, the concept has undergone a significant transformation from mere walking or hiking activities, impacting people’s choices in transportation and urban spatial experiences. However, the defining characteristics of Citywalk remain unclear. To address this gap, this study considers representative cities in China as examples and employs a comprehensive approach including website information retrieval, SPSS software, and word frequency analysis to collect and analyze data on 611 Citywalk routes in 48 cities. The study objective is to examine the regional characteristics of Citywalk routes and elucidate the factors that shape Citywalk characteristics. Descriptive statistics are used to describe the regional characteristics of Citywalk routes, and three indicators – urban attributes, route features, and node types – are identified. Subsequently, correlation analysis is applied within and between groups. The results indicate a significant correlation among urban attributes, route features, and certain node types with high reliability. This study provides bottom-up data support for the design of linear spatial experiences in Chinese cities and the improvement of tourist route planning, thus offering valuable references for future endeavors in this field.