Abstract
Understanding visitor preferences to heritage areas is essential in informing management planning and interpretive strategies for these places. This paper uses a quantitative method approach to investigate local Malaysian visitor preferences to heritage trails in the Old Town of central Kuala Lumpur, in Malaysia, to understand what values and qualities visitors are experiencing that informs their preferences. The findings of this research offers a ranking system of heritage trails and buildings based upon visitors’ preferences, that can aid in understanding of visitor preferences of heritage trails and the places and values along such trails.
Highlights
Heritage trails have historically been developed based upon different themes with the aim of acting as an interconnecting journey to link sites, attractions, and other tourism businesses by providing information and storytelling along the way [13]-[31]
In Malaysia, heritage trails are often developed in partnerships, with local authorities taking the lead in trail development
Findings from the case of Heritage Trail and Heritage Trail Statistical analysis of questionnaires revealed that respondents preferred open spaces -- Medan Pasar (Heritage Trail 01) and Dataran Merdeka (Heritage Trail 02) -- as the key elements along the trails (Figure 5 and Figure 6). This evidences that respondents are aware of these spaces even though they are physically surrounded by iconic heritage buildings. It demonstrates that these spaces should be properly acknowledged as core contributors to the Old Town’s identity and the nuclei for cultural diversity in this area [20]
Summary
Heritage trails have historically been developed based upon different themes with the aim of acting as an interconnecting journey to link sites, attractions, and other tourism businesses by providing information and storytelling along the way [13]-[31]. Urban heritage trails have aided the local economies especially through tourism visitation activities. The research on urban heritage trails remains little investigated within academic literature [2]-[13]-[14]. In Malaysia, heritage trails are often developed in partnerships, with local authorities taking the lead in trail development. This article is concerned with visitors’ experiences on the stakeholder-generated trails, through self-guided tour journeys of urban heritage trails in the Old Town of Kuala Lumpur. The article aims to discuss how these heritage trails influence visitors’ preferences on exploring the trails. The research seeks to define the relationships between Experiential Design Principles and the four realms of these Principles that influence visitor experience and expectations
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
