vii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 2 TITLE PAGE 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of Study 1 1.2 Problem Statement 2 1.3 Research Questions 4 1.4 Research Goal and Objectives 4 1.5 Scopes of Research 5 1.5.1 Literature review 5 1.5.2 Evaluation of tourist’s place experience 5 through place-character and place-experience 1.5.3 Evaluation of tourist’s profile and trip 5 characteristics to Kuala Lumpur 6 1.5.4 Recommendation of strategies to refine tourist’s place experience through placemaking 1.6 Study Approach 6 1.6.1 Stage 1 – Preliminary Stage 6 1.6.2 Stage 2 – Data Collection 6 1.6.3 Stage 3 – Analysis and Synthesis 7 1.6.4 Stage 4 - Recommendations 7 1.7 Techniques of Analysis 9 1.7.1 Research Method 9 1.7.2 Survey Instrument 10 1.7.3 Population and Sampling 11 1.8 Study Area 14 1.9 Significance of the Study 17 1.10 Limitation of the Study 17 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Place 2.2.1 Concepts of Place 2.2.2 The Essence of Place 2.2.3 Identity and Images of Place 2.2.4 Sense of Place 2.3 Place Experience 2.3.1 Types of Place Experience 2.3.2 Describing Places 18 18 18 19 21 23 25 26 26 27 viii 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 3 4 2.3.3 Place and Tourism 2.3.4 High Quality Place Experience Placemaking 2.4.1 Criteria for Making Better Settings Tourist Experience 2.5.1 Concepts of Tourist Experience 2.5.2 Process of Tourist Experience 2.5.3 Tourist Experience in Urban Area Model of Attitude Measurement The Study’s Working Model 27 28 28 29 30 30 32 34 35 35 37 KUALA LUMPUR CITY CENTRE AS A PLACE FOR TOURIST DESTINATION 3.1 Introduction 3.2 KL as a Place 3.2.1 The City of KL 3.2.2 Image and Identity 3.2.3 Spatial Characters 3.2.4 Place Experience in KL 3.3 Tourism Products in KL 3.4 Positioning 3.5 Middle East Tourist Arrival 37 37 37 38 39 40 44 47 47 DATA ANALYSIS 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Place Experience Analysis 4.2.1 Analysis of Place Characters Using MAM 4.2.2 Gap Analysis 4.2.3 Analysis of Overall Tourist Experience 4.3 Analysis of Tourist Route 4.3.1 Tourist Attractions 4.3.2 Shopping Places 4.3.3 Entertainment Area 4.4 Analysis of Tourist Demand 4.4.1 Profile of Tourists 4.4.1.1 Country of Origin 4.4.1.2 Demographics 4.4.2 Trip Characteristics 4.42.1 Purpose of Visit 49 49 50 55 57 59 61 62 64 66 69 69 69 70 72 72 ix 4.5 5 4.4.2.2 4.4.2.3 4.4.2.4 4.4.2.5 4.4.2.6 Conclusion Party Composition Length of Stay Mode of Transport Accommodation Prior Experience in Kuala Lumpur DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Discussion of Results 5.2.1 Tourist’s Place Experience 5.2.2 The Middle East Tourist Place Experience 5.2.2.1 Importance of Place Characters 5.2.2.2 Experience of Place Characters 5.2.2.3 Overall Tourist Experience 5.2.2.4 Attitude Measurement 5.2.3 Tourist Route 5.2.4 Tourist Demand 5.3 Refining Tourist’s Place Experience Through Placemaking 5.3.1 Choices and Options 5.3.2 Reinforcing Patterns and Sequence 5.3.3 Rich Materials for Fantasies and Memories 5.3.4 A Sense of Identity 5.3.5 Highlighting Personal Awareness 5.3.6 Highlighting Opportunity 5.3.7 Active Vitality 5.4 Recommendations for Future Research 5.5 Conclusion 73 74 75 76 77 78 82 82 82 82 84 84 85 88 88 88 89 90 92 93 94 95 97 97 98 98 100 REFERENCES 101 APPENDICES A – B 105 x LIST OF TABLES TABLE NO. 1.1 2.1 2.2 2.3 3.1 3.2 3.3 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 5.1 TITLE Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region Concepts of Place Concepts of Tourist Experience Factors to consider in evaluating the urban tourist experience Tourism Products in KL Middle East Tourist Arrival in Malaysia (Jan – May / 2005 & 2006) Middle East Tourist Arrival in Malaysia (By Months) Importance of Place Characters to the Middle East Tourists Experience of Place Characters in KL by the Middle East Tourists Place Characters Mean Scores Differences of Mean Scores (Values) Gap Values in Ascending Orders Overall Tourist Experience Evaluation Accommodation Importance-Experience Gaps for the Middle East Tourists Summary of Significant Findings Placemaking as a Process to Enhance Place Characters PAGE 12 19 30 34 46 48 48 52 52 55 58 58 60 76 80 81 91 xi LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE NO. TITLE 1.1 Study Flow Chart 1.2 The Middle East Region 1.3 Kuala Lumpur Map – Distribution of Tourism Products 2.1 Place Formation 2.2 Place Diagram 2.3 Sense of Place Diagram 2.4 Tourist Experience 2.5 The Tourist’s Place Experience Process 2.6 The Four Cells of the Fishbein’s Measurement of Attitude 2.7 Placemaking and Tourist’s Place Experience 3.1 The Golden Triangle 3.2 Distribution of Tourism Products 3.3 Tourism Zones 3.4 Middle East Tourist Arrival 2005 and 2006 4.1 Comparison between perceived importance and actual place experience by the Middle East tourists in KL 4.2 Tourists Who Rank “Memories” as a Very Important Character 4.3 Purpose of Visit for Tourists Aged 20-29 4.4 Model of Attitude Measurement on the Middle East Tourists’ Place Experience 4.5 Differences of Mean Scores 4.6 Overall Tourist Experience Evaluation 4.7 Tourist Attractions Visited in Kuala Lumpur 4.8 Shopping Places Visited in Kuala Lumpur 4.9 Entertainment Area Visited in Kuala Lumpur 4.10 Tourist Route 4.11 Country of Origin 4.12 Tourist Gender 4.13 Age Group 4.14 Highest Education Background 4.15 Occupation PAGE 8 12 14 20 21 25 31 33 35 36 40 44 45 48 53 54 54 56 57 60 62 64 66 67 69 70 70 71 71 xii 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 Main Purpose of Visiting Kuala Lumpur Party Composition Length of Stay Mode of Transport Previous Experience in Kuala Lumpur 72 73 74 75 77 xiii LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX A B TITLE Tourist Questionnaire Getting Around in KL Pamphlet PAGE 105 107