Yogyakarta’s sound environment based on demographic variables

Abstract Yogyakarta is a city rich in culture and heritage, which makes it the second tourist destination in Indonesia. The tangible heritage is well maintained, but the intangible aspects still need to be fully addressed. One of the intangible aspects of Yogyakarta is the sound environment. A preliminary study showed that Yogyakarta’s sound environment is now filled with traffic noise, which largely masks the local soundmark. An appropriate sound environment will contextually develop heritage and cultural sites into more memorable tourism yet a healthy and comfortable environment. The study reported here aims to describe how residents and visitors experience the sound environment in Yogyakarta. A modest quantitative method for collecting data using an online questionnaire was employed, with 252 respondents expressing their opinions. The results show that demographic variables influence respondents’ perceptions of sound. Age variations significantly affect the perception of pleasantness and annoyance. Female participants tend to perceive the sound environment more positively than males. Residents tend to perceive the sound environment as generally appropriate, but visitors perceive it as primarily appropriate. The finding will serve as a reference for further soundscape development of Yogyakarta.