Can bike-sharing availability improve tourist satisfaction? Evidence in Chicago

Bike sharing has enriched the tourist experience while posing hidden risks to tourist attractions. However, the exact impact of bike sharing around tourist attractions on the tourist experience remains under-researched. Using data on tourist attractions and bike sharing collected from TripAdvisor and Divvy, and employing a time-varying difference-in-differences model, the main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of bike sharing stations on tourist satisfaction with nearby attractions and identify key moderating factors behind this impact. Results show that bike sharing stations exert a significant and positive effect on tourist satisfaction with nearby attractions; an attraction's walkability score and central business district location are significant moderators. These findings enhance the understanding of customer behavior within the growing sharing economy, especially the relationship between bike sharing and tourist behavior. This study also offers implications for tour operators, attraction managers, bike sharing enterprises, and urban planners.