This phenomenological study examines the emerging “city walk” travel model in China, tracing its origins to London walks and framing it through labeling theory to explain young travelers’ shift from checklist-style tourism to immersive, slow-paced urban exploration. The activity fosters deeper connections with city culture, history, and daily life, aligning with contemporary youth preferences for cost-effective, emotionally enriching experiences. Opportunities identified include reshaping destination images via social media, catering to personalized route design, leveraging demographic insights for targeted marketing, and expanding into hybrid “city walk+” formats such as pet walking, reading, dating, or sports, supported by digital cultural tourism. The paper positions “city walk” as both a response to post-pandemic lifestyle changes and a promising avenue for sustainable, culturally rich urban tourism.
Wu, D., 2024. City walk in a gap day: potential and opportunities for tourism and leisure. Tourism Review, 79(9), pp.1576-1581.
