Persistent Street Network and Changing Tourism-Related Functional Space: A Case Study of Pingyao, China, 2009–2023

Abstract

The rise of tourism in historical cities has become a widely observed global phenomenon. As both urban heritage and channels of movement, streets influence the spatial distribution of tourism-related functions. It is important to understand how this influence has evolved over time. This study examines the temporal changes of tourism-related functional spaces in the historical city of Pingyao, China, between 2009 and 2023. During this period, tourism expanded rapidly, while the street network, as heritage, remained stable. Kernel density estimation, space syntax, and Mann–Whitney U tests are used to map functional concentration, quantify street configuration, and test whether the association between them changed between 2009 and 2023. The findings show that street network configuration, through its differentiated movement potential, continuously influenced the spatial distribution of tourism-related functions. However, attraction, commercial, and accommodation functions followed distinct distributional logics that also shifted differently over time. Space syntax indicators were extended into the temporal dimension to track these associations, revealing both their explanatory value and their limitations in this application. Based on these temporal associations, planning and management strategies are offered that may help to better adapt the actual use of streets to their functional potential.