Why do young people fall in love with Citywalk, a sudden new trend? Following the "special forces" in tourism, the rhythm | tourism | young people
"Take whichever side the green light is on, and wherever you go, it all depends on fate's guidance." "Roll the dice and take a few bus or subway stops, eat the first few shops at the intersection." "Walk and clap in the old city area, and the pace slows down quickly."
This summer, in addition to the tourism "special forces" flashing in various scenic spots, there is also a group of people who choose to avoid crowds, use their footsteps to "measure" the various aspects of the city, and shuttle between natural and cultural scenic lines. This casual way of traveling and experiencing the city's scenery, history, and culture is called "Citywalk", which refers to urban roaming.
How do I play Citywalk? Why did young people suddenly fall in love with Citywalk?
01
A new trend that's out of the way.
Recently, Citywalk has created a new Internet landscape on various popular short video websites and social media websites.
On various tourism platforms, Citywalk routes from multiple cities such as Hangzhou, Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, and Changsha are dazzling.
In Xiaohongshu, the number of notes marked as "Citywalk" has exceeded 480000, and the official photography topic "# Citywalk" has received over 63.426 million views. According to the 2023 Tourism Research Report jointly released by DT Finance and DT Research Institute, 82% of people want to try Citywalk among several new forms of tourism, far exceeding other forms of tourism.
What is the so-called new trend of urban strolling?
Citywalk originated in London, UK and is a form of urban tourism that refers to walking or cycling into the streets and alleys to gain a new understanding of the city in terms of history, geography, culture, customs, and other aspects.
Unlike the traditional way of visiting popular tourist attractions through card games, Citywalk does not require extensive planning in advance, nor does it have fixed travel rules. Whether it's choosing a route in advance, visiting city landmarks in groups, searching for treasure shops, or driving straight at green lights, turning at red lights, or taking aimless walks on the streets, it's all a form of Citywalk.
Citywalk emphasizes an immersive experience that is unrestricted, spontaneous, and slow paced, allowing one to experience the historical charm and vibrant vitality of the city while strolling.
On social media platforms, there are a variety of Citywalk methods and rules posted.
Develop a city stroll theme and plan routes in advance based on one's own interests and hobbies.
"The Grand Canal Sunscreen and Summer Vacation Route", "Check in Hangzhou's Top Ten Ancient City Gate Ruins during the rainy season", "Explore the Seven Secrets of Yulin Community Renewal in Chengdu"... When you click on related topics, you will find recommended routes that connect old streets, alleys, niche commercial streets, and museums in the same city.
For example, on Xiaohongshu, a "bookworm" netizen has compiled a list of independent bookstores in Hangzhou, Chengdu, and other places, and compiled several "City Book Walk" walking routes suitable for bookstores and coffee enthusiasts.
In the comments section, the blogger also expressed her original intention of organizing the bookstore stroll route - as a "social anxiety", taking a walk alone, sitting for two hours in a bookstore with abundant books and a large sofa, feeling very comfortable.
There are screenshots from Tuyuan Xiaohongshu and some local residents who are interested in urban history and culture. The favorite Citywalk route of blogger "Wang Dake Dawang" is Yonghe Palace Wudaoying Guozijian Wudaoying. "Not so commercialized", "many original and stylish small shops", and "giving people a lot of aesthetic feelings about life" are the reasons why she recommended this route.
02
Turn the city into a playground.
Arranging a fixed walking route in advance is not the only solution for Citywalk. There are also some "free spirited" city wanderers who don't need routes or plans, and simply play a city "millionaire" game.
A Xiaohongshu netizen has released a "City Walk Guide" and referred to it as the "Effortless Citywalk". In this special city stroll guide, there is only one principle to follow: "Choose the direction to move forward, then ride on whichever side the green light is on, and wherever you go, it all depends on fate's guidance. The only thing you need to do is enjoy the scenery that cannot be replicated during the process, and when you're tired, navigate back home."
There are many proposals such as screenshots from the Little Red Book. Some people use methods such as rolling dice and guessing punches to decide where to go and what to do, such as taking a bus or subway at a certain stop, eating the first restaurant at a certain intersection, buying a book, and so on: "When going out and taking a bus, find a route to sit from beginning to end, listen to music and look out the window all the way, take notes of the points of interest, or get off the bus and take a walk recklessly, which will really open up many corners with fewer people and more beautiful scenery and flavor."
This stimulating and uncertain roaming style has turned Citywalk into a "blind box" where people can enjoy the surprises brought by randomness.
In addition, Citywalk is also a popular way of socializing among young people.
The netizen "TheGratis Walker" once launched a Citywalk called "Shanghai Seasonal Free Meal Hiking Route". "Although we had set up a walking route ourselves, due to one of our team members' Sam's shopping plan, our group's tasting route was eventually extended to Sam's Supermarket and a small picnic was finally completed in the park next to Sam's. What's even more surprising is that we shared the cake they just bought with strangers in the park."
"I've been traveling recently, and I've been dragging people from up to 99, down to dogs who just walk by, to chat." "Then choose lucky passersby to socialize" is the Citywalk plan of "social cows". For them, it can not only recharge their lives with the scenery along the way, but also with the diversity of citizens and fireworks. ".
Under the wave of Citywalk, some urban youth communities have sprung up like mushrooms after rain and become popular on social media websites.
"Same frequency" and "shared joy" are the keywords of these urban youth communities. Being with like-minded people and exploring the more interesting aspects of urban life is a common attitude among Citywalk enthusiasts.
As early as October 2021, a 95s girl named Xiaoyu initiated the organization of the "Little Fish Tail | Hangzhou Citywalk" community, which now has over a thousand members. Although highly popular, the number of people in each event of the community is limited to 15, allowing everyone to have the opportunity to introduce themselves and get to know each other.
The reason why Xiaoyu established a community is because he found that many people actually have the intention to travel, but do not know how to play or who to play with. Therefore, she and her friends released recruitment information on WeChat official account, douban and other channels, and the Citywalk community gradually took shape.
In the introduction, Xiaoyu wrote, "The city itself is a huge amusement park. As long as you have the ability to find happiness, the streets and alleys can also become very fun."
03
Travel, don't roll up
The White Paper on Insights into China's Travel Consumption Trends shows that the four new trends in travel consumption in 2023 can be summarized as niche uniqueness, ease and relaxation, unknown surprises, and depth in the ground. At the same time, close proximity, low expenses, low congestion, and abundant food are also important reference factors for young people to choose their travel methods.
Simply put, it means getting tired of traveling. Compared to the daily travel of "special forces", Citywalk is more in line with the current travel tendencies of young people.
According to the 2023 Tourism Research Report jointly released by DT Finance and DT Research Institute, enjoying natural scenery, exploring streets and alleys, experiencing fireworks and local life, and visiting museum collections are the three things people most hope to do in tourism.
Among the most popular Citywalk recommended routes on various tourism platforms on Tuyuan Xiaohongshu, the figures of niche cafes, taverns, and local museums can also be seen everywhere in old urban areas.
Some ordinary alleys hidden in the city may be a necessary route for migrant workers to get off work, or it may be an unexpected gain from another group of people wandering around.
For these young people, clocking in at fancy tourist attractions is no longer the most attractive way of traveling. They hope to explore the city, discover themselves, and seek more authentic and in-depth experiences in a slow pace.
As many city walking bloggers said in their introductions, "Citywalk can be neither artistic nor romantic. It can be 'ordinary', but it may hide 'a stray cat', 'several fly houses',' your favorite Zhajiangmian ',' wandering singers you often meet '... It may not be concerned by this city, but it must have your story."
