Exploring the Relationship between Touristification and Commercial Gentrification from the Perspective of Tourist Flow Networks: A Case Study of Yuzhong District, Chongqing

Abstract

Existing research has noted a clear interaction between touristification and commercial gentrification; however, the differences between these two coexisting but distinct phenomena require further research. This study uses online big data and quantitative methods to explore the relationship between touristification and commercial gentrification. Taking Yuzhong District in Chongqing as an example, this study constructs an inter-attraction network based on 1306 itineraries extracted from online travel diaries, develops a method to evaluate community tourism centrality based on network analysis, and examines the correlation between community tourism centrality, touristification, and commercial gentrification. The results suggest that attractions with historical value, unique local landscapes, and mixed functions show greater tourism centrality in the tourist flow network. Attractions with similar themes are more likely to be included in one travel route, and the influence of distance is insignificant at the district level. Communities with higher tourism centrality are clustered in old city areas with a rich historic heritage and have experienced profound commercialisation. Although similar, touristification is primarily a bottom-up process, while commercial gentrification tends to be more involved with the top-down urban planning process. This study contributes to the methodological development of network analysis in tourism research and advances the understanding of the different mechanisms of touristification and commercial gentrification.