A Green Pathway for Future Tourism Success: Walking Trails in Kuala Lumpur

Abstract

A national survey of the health behaviour of Malaysian adults (2004) has found that there has been a 280% increase in obesity since 1996. This level of obesity was slightly higher in urban areas such as Kuala Lumpur, which is a cause for great concern because it has been attributed to an unhealthy sedentary lifestyle brought about by rapid urbanisation, economic growth, and technological advances. As a result, local government authorities are now investigating ways to encourage a higher level of walking behaviour. Trail provision has been found to be one of best intervention strategies to increase walking in neighbourhood areas; however, patterns of walking behaviour and the specific trail characteristics that are required by a multiracial community in Kuala Lumpur are largely unknown. This study investigates the importance of walking trails, and the characteristics that can increase walking activity, among three different ethnic groups of Kuala Lumpur residents, namely Malay, Chinese and Indian. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of local residents and found that all groups (Malay (64.6%; Chinese, 81.1%; Indian 70.0%) indicated that they did not reach the recommended standards for walking to gain any health benefits. The Chinese respondents were found to be the most passive with 54.9% reporting that they did not walk at all. When determining the most suitable walking trails the three ethnic groups favoured different types of trail characteristics that were perceived to be important to motivate them to walk more often. These findings are important in the planning for local government and tourism authorities in their planning of improved walking trails that will encourage tourists and local residents from diverse ethnic backgrounds to more regularly walk for exercise and health.