IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v12y2025i1d10.1057_s41599-024-04262-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spatial and temporal evolution of tourism flows among 296 Chinese cities in the context of COVID-19: a study based on Baidu Index

Author

Listed:
  • Yibo Tang

    (Yanshan University)

  • Gangmin Weng

    (Yanshan University)

  • Simeng Qin

    (Northeastern University at Qinhuangdao)

  • Yue Pan

    (Yanshan University)

Abstract

COVID-19 repeated outbreaks in China have significantly impacted residents’ lives, particularly in the tourism sector. Accurately assessing the spatio-temporal evolution of tourism flow under the disturbance of COVID-19 is essential for scientific tourism planning and management. This study analyzes the tourism information search index of 296 cities in China to represent tourist flow tendencies and explores the distribution characteristics and formation reasons of tourism flow from both tourist source and destination perspectives. The results are as follows. (1) The COVID-19 has severely affected Chinese tourists’ willingness to travel, with a decline of over 50% from 2020 to 2022 compared to 2019. Although a rebound is observed in 2023, it has not yet returned to pre-epidemic levels. (2) COVID-19 has impacted the spatial distribution pattern without altering the essential characteristic of “high in the East and low in the West.” The distribution of core tourist sources is “bow-shaped”, while that of popular destinations is “U-shaped”. (3) In both tourism information inflow and outflow, the number of “head” and “tail” cities is relatively small, with most cities situated in the “middle” echelon. Additionally, the “Matthew effect” has emerged among tourist destination cities, which may aggravate the unbalanced nature of tourism distribution in China. Therefore, future tourism development should be strategically planned, respecting the principles of evolutionary patterns.

Suggested Citation

  • Yibo Tang & Gangmin Weng & Simeng Qin & Yue Pan, 2025. "Spatial and temporal evolution of tourism flows among 296 Chinese cities in the context of COVID-19: a study based on Baidu Index," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-04262-0
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-024-04262-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-024-04262-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-024-04262-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Junyu Lu & Xiao Xiao & Zixuan Xu & Chenqi Wang & Meixuan Zhang & Yang Zhou, 2022. "The potential of virtual tourism in the recovery of tourism industry during the COVID-19 pandemic," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(3), pages 441-457, February.
    2. Yongrui Guo & Jie Zhang & Honglei Zhang, 2016. "Rank–size distribution and spatio-temporal dynamics of tourist flows to China’s cities," Tourism Economics, , vol. 22(3), pages 451-465, June.
    3. Yaping Liu & Jie Yu & Fuqiang Wang, 2022. "Inbound tourism flows and foreign exchange revenue in the ASEAN from China and the world," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(4), pages 524-540, February.
    4. (Sam) Kim, Seongseop & Prideaux, Bruce & Timothy, Dallen, 2016. "Factors affecting bilateral Chinese and Japanese travel," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 80-95.
    5. Doaa Ayoub & Dina Nasser Hassan Sayed Mohamed, 2024. "The impact of push-pull motives on internal tourists’ visit and revisit intentions to Egyptian domestic destinations: the mediating role of country image," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    6. Xianghong Zhou & Weiwei Chen, 2021. "The Impact of Informatization on the Relationship between the Tourism Industry and Regional Economic Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-23, August.
    7. Yuewei Wang & Hang Chen & Xinyang Wu, 2021. "Spatial Structure Characteristics of Tourist Attraction Cooperation Networks in the Yangtze River Delta Based on Tourism Flow," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-16, October.
    8. Malin Zillinger, 2020. "The curious case of online information search," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(3), pages 276-279, February.
    9. Xiaohui Xu, 2022. "The Impacts of COVID-19 on the Rank-Size Distribution of Regional Tourism Central Places: A Case of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-21, September.
    10. Shenzhen Tian & Jialin Jiang & Hang Li & Xueming Li & Jun Yang & Chuanglin Fang, 2023. "Flow space reveals the urban network structure and development mode of cities in Liaoning, China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, December.
    11. Yaming Zhang & Xiaoyu Guo & Yanyuan Su & Yaya Hamadou Koura H & Na Wang & Wenjie Song, 2023. "Changes in spatiotemporal pattern and network characteristics in population migration of China’s cities before and after COVID-19," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, December.
    12. Hsiao-Hsien Lin & I-Cheng Hsu & Tzu-Yun Lin & Le-Ming Tung & Ying Ling, 2022. "After the Epidemic, Is the Smart Traffic Management System a Key Factor in Creating a Green Leisure and Tourism Environment in the Move towards Sustainable Urban Development?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-22, March.
    13. Sigala, Marianna, 2020. "Tourism and COVID-19: Impacts and implications for advancing and resetting industry and research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 312-321.
    14. Lei Li & Zhuomin Tao & Lin Lu & Honglan Liu & Junwan Zhang & Mingyue Zhang, 2022. "The impact of COVID-19 on the regional tourism flow network: an empirical study in Hubei Province," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 287-302, January.
    15. Mengmeng Qiang, 2022. "Quantifying the loss of China’s tourism revenue induced by COVID-19," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(24), pages 3919-3924, December.
    16. Shiqi Zhang & Tianwei Sun & Yuan Lu, 2023. "The COVID-19 Pandemic and Tourists’ Risk Perceptions: Tourism Policies’ Mediating Role in Sustainable and Resilient Recovery in the New Normal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-20, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Carballo, Rita R. & León, Carmelo J. & Carballo, María M., 2024. "A longitudinal analysis of the effects of COVID-19 on tourists’ health risk perceptions," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 357(C).
    2. Hee-ju Kwon, 2022. "A New Trend of Tourism in the Post-COVID-19 Era: Big Data Analysis of Online Tours in Korea," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-16, December.
    3. Ali Zackery & Joseph Amankwah-Amoah & Zahra Heidari Darani & Shiva Ghasemi, 2022. "COVID-19 Research in Business and Management: A Review and Future Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-32, August.
    4. Garaus, Marion & Hudáková, Melánia, 2022. "The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourists’ air travel intentions: The role of perceived health risk and trust in the airline," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    5. Gheorghe Cristian Popescu & Monica Popescu, 2022. "COVID-19 pandemic and agriculture in Romania: effects on agricultural systems, compliance with restrictions and relations with authorities," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(2), pages 557-567, April.
    6. Philipp Wassler & Giacomo Del Chiappa & Thi Hong Hai Nguyen & Giancarlo Fedeli & Nigel L. Williams, 2022. "Increasing vaccination intention in pandemic times: a social marketing perspective," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2022(1), pages 37-58, March.
    7. László Könnyid & Zsuzsanna Váradi & Zsombor Nagy & Noémi Ilyés & Orsolya H. Horváth, 2022. "The Changes in the Demographic Characteristics and Spatial Structure of Tourism Demand in the West Balaton Region’s Spa Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-14, August.
    8. Wenxi (Bella) Bai & Ivan Ka Wai Lai & Jose Weng Chou Wong, 2023. "Memorable Tourism Experience Research: A Systematic Citation Review (2009–2021)," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    9. Samuel Raine & Amy Liu & Joel Mintz & Waseem Wahood & Kyle Huntley & Farzanna Haffizulla, 2020. "Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Outcomes: Social Determination of Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-16, November.
    10. Erica Mingotto & Michele Tamma, 2021. "Covid-19 and recovery strategies. Some insights from an ongoing exploratory study in the Italian hospitality industry: the case of the historic city centre of Venice," Working Papers 02, Venice School of Management - Department of Management, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia.
    11. Yeongbae Choe & Hyesun Kim & Youngjoon Choi, 2022. "Willingness to pay for travel insurance as a risk reduction behavior: health-related risk perception after the outbreak of COVID-19," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 16(3), pages 445-467, September.
    12. Chung-Wei Kuo, 2021. "Can We Return to Our Normal Life When the Pandemic Is under Control? A Preliminary Study on the Influence of COVID-19 on the Tourism Characteristics of Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-17, August.
    13. repec:ers:journl:v:xxiv:y:2021:i:special4:p:227-236 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Chaojun Li & Xinjia Huang, 2022. "How Does COVID-19 Risk Perception Affect Wellness Tourist Intention: Findings on Chinese Generation Z," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-20, December.
    15. Zhong, Jiehua & Kan, Ho Yin, 2024. "The impact of government policy, natural resources and ecological innovations on energy transition and environmental sustainability: Insights from China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    16. Shuai Yu & Bin Li & Dongmei Liu, 2023. "Exploring the Public Health of Travel Behaviors in High-Speed Railway Environment during the COVID-19 Pandemic from the Perspective of Trip Chain: A Case Study of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomera," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-22, January.
    17. Asif Hussain & Francesc Fusté-Forné, 2021. "Post-Pandemic Recovery: A Case of Domestic Tourism in Akaroa (South Island, New Zealand)," World, MDPI, vol. 2(1), pages 1-12, March.
    18. Chun-Wei Chen & Neng-Tang Huang & Hsien-Sheng Hsiao, 2022. "The Construction and Application of E-Learning Curricula Evaluation Metrics for Competency-Based Teacher Professional Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-22, July.
    19. Oliver Cruz-Milán, 2023. "Loyalty in the time of COVID-19: A review of the literature in tourism destination settings," Post-Print hal-04014427, HAL.
    20. Anca-Gabriela Turtureanu & Rodica Pripoaie & Carmen-Mihaela Cretu & Carmen-Gabriela Sirbu & Emanuel Ştefan Marinescu & Laurentiu-Gabriel Talaghir & Florentina Chițu, 2022. "A Projection Approach of Tourist Circulation under Conditions of Uncertainty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-21, February.
    21. Jianan Li & Xiaotong Jin & Taiyang Zhao & Tiannv Ma, 2021. "Conformity Consumer Behavior and External Threats: An Empirical Analysis in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, July.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:12:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-024-04262-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.nature.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.