The influence of the Beijing Winter Olympic games on the demand for winter sports: An empirical analysis based on the Baidu Index

BackgroundThe 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is a representative large-scale sporting event, which not only promotes the development of national and regional economy, society, culture but also increases demand residents for winter sports, thus helping achieve grand goal “encouraging 300 million people to participate in sports.” This research explores influence on residents’ sports Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Yangtze River Delta urban agglomerations China.MethodsApplying big data mining techniques, Baidu Index Olympics-related terms are used measure residents' interest Olympics, ratio five (ice skating, ice hockey, curling, luge, skiing) number internet searches capture sports. Moreover, we explore spatial–temporal pattern construct an econometric model test driving effect empirically.ResultsThe results show that 1) since 2011, has been rise, higher than Delta; 2) skating skiing, two popular shows declining geographical concentration, indicating popularity these increase; 3) peripheral cities trend specialization, while Beijing, Tianjin, some present diversification; 4) influences positively.ConclusionThis study increase boosts implies hosting successfully drives participation China.