Using cell phone usage data to explore the spatial distribution of virtual leisure and the impact on reality leisure

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study aimed to determine the geospatial distribution of Virtual Leisure (VL) users and the impact of VL on users’ reality leisure behaviours. The empirical analysis was conducted using cell phone usage data collected from the Unicom platform in Wuhan, China (N= 2.84 × 10 6 ). The study collected information on the duration of cell phone users’ virtual leisure APP usage, their place of residence, and the frequency and duration of their visits to reality leisure spaces. Our empirical research suggests that individuals residing in suburban areas, situated at a distance from urban centres, are more likely to use VL compared to those living in the central city, although VL usage levels remain high in the latter. Furthermore, our findings also indicate that the impact of VL on individual’s reality leisure behaviour of an individual varies according to the type of VL activity, which could either act as a substitute or a facilitator. This study can inform the discussion of information geography on the interaction of virtual and real spaces, and on the intervention of virtual and reality behaviours.