Study on emergency evacuation behavior in heritage tourism destinations based on agent-based modeling: the case of Gulangyu, China

This study examines emergency evacuation dynamics in Gulangyu, China, a UNESCO World Heritage site, using agent-based modelling combined with field experiments and behavioural data. Heritage tourism destinations face heightened disaster risks due to dense populations, vulnerable historic buildings and complex street networks. The research integrates building vulnerability assessments, road damage modelling and real-world evacuation behaviour, including panic, hesitation and group movement.

Findings show that under a seismic intensity VII scenario, most buildings sustain slight damage, but congestion and bottlenecks significantly reduce evacuation efficiency. Behavioural factors play a critical role, with over 70 per cent of participants exhibiting panic responses and more than 60 per cent showing hesitation during evacuation.