JOURNAL OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT

Spatial heterogeneity of perceived visual quality along an urban sightseeing route: A route-contextualized point-level analysis

Honglei Zhang, Yajin Li, Jinhui Xu, Yang Yang

Abstract

Fine-grained evidence on how perceived visual quality (PVQ) varies within urban sightseeing routes remains limited. This Research Note presents a methodological proof of concept combining semantic segmentation of street-view panoramas, ratings from platform-recruited participants, and multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) in a route-contextualized point-level framework. Participants rated all panoramas across five sessions, and the aggregated mean ratings showed good reliability. MGWR outperformed OLS and GWR and identified associations operating at different spatial scales. Sea visibility was broadly positively associated with PVQ, while buildings and signboards were generally negatively associated; associations for trees varied by location. The pipeline provides a replicable screening tool for identifying candidate locations for field investigation and route management.

Keywords

Perceived visual quality; Street-view imagery; Semantic segmentation; MGWR; Urban sightseeing route

Research topic

AI and Big Data, Tourist Flows and Location

Research method

Spatial Modeling, Big Data

Geographic area

China

Additional links for this paper

ResearchGate

Publisher Website

Web of Science

HOW TO CITE

Zhang, H., Li, Y., Xu, J., & Yang, Y. (2026) Spatial heterogeneity of perceived visual quality along an urban sightseeing route: A route-contextualized point-level analysis. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 69, 101549.

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