Secret corners and painted stories: evaluating the quality of street art towards tourists’ satisfaction in Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur

Creative expressions, such as street art, are increasingly influencing urban tourism. However, researchers have been slow to explore the role street art plays in tourist satisfaction, particularly in Malaysian contexts like Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the satisfaction levels of urban tourists based on the quality of street art installations. The focus of the research is on visitors’ perceptions regarding accessibility, experiential value, conveyed meaning or message, and appreciation for artists who contribute to the street art scene. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving qualitative observational data collection from site visits in a street art environment. Additionally, a structured bilingual questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data from 158 domestic and international urban tourists. Quantitative data analysis was carried out using SPSS v31.0 to apply descriptive statistics, while thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data to uncover key findings. The results reveal that tourists generally perceive the street art in Petaling Street as approachable, culturally engaging and socially relevant (mean=4.08). In particular, street art elements that connect the historical context of the area with meaningful messages received the highest satisfaction ratings from visitors (mean=4.02). The study highlights a notable appreciation for local artists and a strong desire among tourists to learn more about the artists’ histories and motivations. The findings provide actionable recommendations for policymakers, local authorities, and tourism planners, encouraging a more inclusive and artistic approach in urban heritage areas that caters to a diverse range of visitors.