Temporal and Spatial Attractiveness Characteristics of Wuhan Urban Riverside from the Perspective of Traveling

Abstract

Improving the attractiveness of urban waterfronts has become an important objective to promote economic development and improve the environmental quality. However, few studies have focused on the inherent characteristics of urban waterfront attractiveness. In this study, mobile phone signaling data and the TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) were used to construct the attractiveness evaluation system of the riverside in Wuhan. The OLS (ordinary least squares) regression model was used to analyze the relationship between the POI (point of interest) and the attractiveness of river waterfronts. Furthermore, the high-or-low-value aggregation classification of research units was performed according to attractiveness and the POI indicators to reveal the influencing factors of the attractiveness of the Wuhan urban riverside. Results showed the following. (1) The high-value distribution of attractiveness of the river waterfronts in Wuhan presented regional aggregation characteristics, and the attractiveness of economically developed areas was high. (2) Consumer POIs (CPOIs) and outdoor recreation POIs (RPOIs) had a positive effect on the attractiveness of the riverside in Wuhan, while housing POIs (HPOIs), public service POIs (OPOIs), and the high degree of POI mixing had a negative impact on the attractiveness of the urban riverside. (3) The high–high agglomeration spaces were mainly concentrated in the economically developed areas of the city center, which are mainly open spaces where urban cultural activities are held, while the low–low agglomeration spaces were mostly gathered in the suburban areas. The spatial distribution of the high–low agglomeration spaces, which are mainly green open spaces, was relatively fragmented, while the low–high agglomeration spaces, which are mainly freight terminals, linear walks, and residential areas, were near the city center.

The Usage and Constraints of Urban River Corridor from a Socio-ecological Perspective: a Systematic Review

“…Multiple studies reveal that urban river corridors exhibit higher vibrancy during weekends than on weekdays (Ding et al, 2023;Grzyb & Kulczyk, 2023;Liu et al, 2021;Wu et al, 2019b). However, Chen et al (2022) present contrasting findings, indicating lower spatial density during weekends. Significant differences in visitor numbers during daytime and nighttime were noted (Chen & Ma, 2023;Giannakis et al, 2016;Rakonjac et al, 2022).…”

“…Moreover, 19 studies (32%) specifically examined the duration of visitor stays. The majority of these studies indicated that visitors spend approximately one hour on urban river corridors (Garrett et al, 2019;Liu et al, 2023;Luo et al, 2022;Mansournia et al, 2021;Rakonjac et al, 2022;Vierikko & Yli-Pelkonen, 2019;Wang et al, 2020;Zhang et al, 2022b). Some individuals seeking proximity to the water may invest several hours sitting along the riverbank, observing the water flow (Völker & Kistemann, 2013).…”

“…The availability of leisure time plays a role in the duration of recreational sports activities along the urban riverfront (Gargiulo et al, 2020). Two other studies concluded that visitors extend their stays slightly on weekends compared to weekdays (Chen et al, 2022;Fan et al, 2023). Higher socioeconomic status households may allocate more leisure time to riverside activities, while renters and temporary residents, engrossed in their livelihoods, may have limited time by the riverside (Haeffner et al, 2017).…”

“…Among the articles included in the review, facilities emerge as the most frequently assessed physical attribute (n=42, 71%). Multiple studies underscore the impact of outdated building facilities, insufficient commercial and entertainment services around the river, lack of continuous and appropriate pathways and lighting, monotonous and uninspiring sightseeing boats, the absence of barrier-free open spaces, and steep banks frequently restrict people's exploration and experiences along river corridors (Chen et al, 2018;Chen et al, 2022;Cheng et al, 2022;Eid et al, 2021;Smith et al, 2022;Vian et al, 2021;Völker & Kistemann, 2013;Wu et al, 2019c). Consequently, individuals tend to gravitate towards areas with well-developed recreational and leisure facilities (Chen & Ma, 2023).…”

“…Among individual attributes, gender, age, occupation, race, education level, socio-economic status, and modes of transportation play pivotal roles in determining the usage of urban river corridors (Xie et al, 2023). Studies have shown that natural elements like water features and green vegetation, well-maintained facilities, and the presence of wildlife are appealing features that entice regular visits to urban river corri-Landscape Online -supported by the International Association for Landscape Ecology and its community Landscape Online 99 (2024) 1121 | dors (Garrett et al, 2019;Luo et al, 2022;Van Hecke et al, 2016). Conversely, uncivil behaviours such as graffiti, littering, and the presence of troublesome individuals can impede usage (Eid et al, 2021;Smith et al, 2022;Vert et al, 2019).…”