Deciphering Urban Soundscapes: A study of sensory experiences at Hong Kong Victoria harbour waterfronts using social media

The impact of sensory experiences on physical and mental health in urban environments has gained significant attention, particularly the influence of soundscapes in waterfronts development. This study employed social media data from Twitter to quantitatively analyse the soundscape of Hong Kong Victoria Harbour waterfronts, offering a novel perspective in urban sensory research. Through comparative analysis between tourists and residents, it uncovered how different groups perceive soundscapes in these specific urban waterfronts setting. Utilizing a two-step analytical approach—initially applying rank-size distribution and mean difference index—this study mapped the spatial distribution of soundscapes and used global and local regression models to explore their correlations with key urban features such as building density, population density, and ethnic diversity. The findings revealed distinct spatial patterns in how soundscapes are experienced by tourists and residents at the Victoria Harbour waterfronts, influenced significantly by the built environment. For instance, while residents experience negative auditory sensory in high building density areas, tourists perceive these areas positively. Furthermore, this research underscored the differing correlations of population density on soundscape experience among these groups. Residents enjoy positive soundscape connections in bustling areas, whereas tourists prefer quieter environments. Moreover, the research also found the differences in how residents and tourists accept multicultural soundscapes. This study not only contributed theoretically by linking soundscapes to urban and socio-economic variables but also demonstrated the potential of social media data as a tool for studying urban sensory. The study findings could offer insights that are relevant to planning and design of urban waterfronts.