INFLUENCING FACTORS OF INTERCITY MOBILITY AND TRAVEL TENDENCIES IN CHINA: EVIDENCE FROM THE BAIDU SEARCH INDEX

AN Di, HU Ying-jie

HUMAN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2026, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (5) : 152-162.

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HUMAN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2026, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (5) : 152-162. DOI: 10.13959/j.issn.1003-2398.2026.05.014
POPULATION

INFLUENCING FACTORS OF INTERCITY MOBILITY AND TRAVEL TENDENCIES IN CHINA: EVIDENCE FROM THE BAIDU SEARCH INDEX

  • AN Di1, HU Ying-jie2
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Abstract

Accurately identifying the spatiotemporal patterns and influencing factors of population mobility is crucial for high-quality demographic development. Focusing on 336 administrative units above the prefecture level in China, we used the Baidu index to construct intercity migration and travel tendency networks (2011-2021). Applying social network analysis and exponential random graph models (ERGMs), we compared their evolutionary trends, spatial patterns, and influencing factors. Both indicators were validated against official migration statistics and LBS-based travel data. Findings reveal: 1) Both indicators show significant correlations with actual mobility data, revealing the evolution of intercity mobility in China and identifying an "inflection point" in 2015. 2) Spatially, both networks aggregate east of the Hu Huanyong Line, forming a "diamond structure" centered around five major urban agglomerations. However, their hinterlands differ: travel networks are clustered, while migration networks are hierarchical. 3) Both are influenced by urban attributes, intercity relationships, and network structural variables. Economic characteristics and local qualities jointly shape them. Among these factors, population size and density, the proportion of the tertiary industry, and medical services play key roles in the formation and evolution of migration tendency.

Key words

urban network / population mobility / mobility tendency / Baidu index / exponential random graph model (ERGM)

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AN Di, HU Ying-jie. INFLUENCING FACTORS OF INTERCITY MOBILITY AND TRAVEL TENDENCIES IN CHINA: EVIDENCE FROM THE BAIDU SEARCH INDEX[J]. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY. 2026, 41(5): 152-162 https://doi.org/10.13959/j.issn.1003-2398.2026.05.014

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