Vol. 1 No. 2

Research article

Functional Positioning, Scenario Demands and Digital Transformation Paths: A Comparative Study of Four Types of Characteristic Commercial Districts in Haikou

Published 2026-09-30

  • Ya Liu
    • ,
  • Zining Wang

Ya Liu
Hainan College of Vocation and Technique

Zining Wang
Hainan College of Vocation and Techniqu

Abstract

Digitalization is reshaping urban commercial spaces. Existing research and practices, however, often take for granted that uniform technology deployment delivers comparable outcomes, while paying inadequate attention to scenario variations across districts with different functional orientations. This paper selects four representative characteristic commercial districts in Haikou—Qilou Old Street, Mission Hills Resort, cdf Haikou Riyue Square, and the South Gate Night Market of Hainan University—as cases for a multi-case comparative study. Drawing on 800 consumer questionnaires, semi-structured interviews with 24 merchants, 30 days of on-site observation, and publicly available literature, it analyzes functional positioning, scenario demands, merchant capabilities and collaboration mechanisms. The findings indicate that mobile payment adoption ranges from 92% to 99% across the four districts, but platform awareness and sustained usage have not risen in tandem, creating a technology-application gap. Historical-cultural districts, culture-tourism integrated districts, commercial complexes and nighttime convenience districts center their core demands on cultural revitalization, cross-format synergy, shopping decision efficiency and instant turnover respectively. Inadequate digital literacy among merchants and insufficient collaborative support act as shared constraints, yet they operate through markedly different mechanisms. Accordingly, this paper proposes a layered "common foundation – classified application" pathway, offering a scenario-based analytical framework for the digital transformation of diversified commercial spaces in tourist cities.

Keywords

Digital economy, Characteristic commercial district, Digital transformation, Scenario governance

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