TOURISTS' PERCEPTION OF STREET MUSIC: THE CASE OF ISTIKLAL STREET, ISTANBUL, TURKEY

Rehab El Gamil

Tourism Studies Department, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Alexandria University, Egypt

ABSTRACT

Recently, street art has gained recognition as a popular and interesting social activity in public spaces. Indeed, Street music is considered one of the most distinguished and attractive forms of street art. Worldwide, many destinations have started to embrace street music as a tool for developing urban areas, promoting tourism, and reviving neglected areas. Istiklal Street; one of the most well-known tourist hot spots in Istanbul is famous for the presence of various street musicians who give this street a special appeal. This paper aims to investigate how street music could create a unique memorable tourist experience. Specifically, it seeks to explore the tourists' perception of street music in Istiklal Street to highlight the potential tourism value of street music as public art. Also, it aims to learn from the case study of Istiklal Street the key factors that could help promoting street music in other tourism destinations which have cultural potential such as Egypt. An online questionnaire was conducted and primary data were collected from 255 participants. Exploratory factors analysis was performed to identify tourists' perception of the significance and impact of the street musicians in the cultural, social and tourism context of the street. The findings showed that street music could enhance the tourist experience of Istiklal Street. Furthermore, the exploratory factors analysis indicated that the factors determining the success of street music in Istiklal Street from the tourists' perspective are street music as; an important element in creating a sense of place, an exciting and interesting practice, a social and cultural activity, and a tourist attraction. Accordingly, the results of this study could be a baseline for the Egyptian authorities and those of other destinations to adopt strategies to support the street musicians in promoting street music as a new tourist attraction. The paper ends with important recommendations for the Ministry of culture and tourism, local municipalities, and destination marketing organizations.

KEYWORDS: Street art, street music, tourist experience, tourist perception, Istiklal Street, Istanbul.

INTRODUCTION

Worldwide, public art has become one of the unique forms of art in many cities. It is a cause of several changes in community life and urban spaces (Gemci & Ferah, 2020). Public art presents the cultural and heritage character of many places, attracts visitors, and gives unique meaning to numerous sites (Frost et al., 2015; Gemci & Ferah, 2020). Before going further, it is important to mention that the terms public art and street art are used interchangeably (Bengtsen, 2013). Miles (1997) defines Public art as making and presenting art outside its traditional and ordinary setting such as art galleries. According to McCarthy (2006), public art is 'site-specific art in the public domain'. Specifically, it refers to all the forms of art that have been presented and taking place in public spaces like gardens, plazas, squares, and back streets. Public art has various roles, it is a part of urban planning for cities; it gives a good image to the streetscapes, contributes to the place's atmosphere, and brings art in an easy way to people (Pappalepore et al., 2014). As mentioned by (McCarthy, 2006), public art is an essential component of place identity. Recently, destination management organizations announced that graffiti is a tourist attraction in some cities such as Melbourne (Best, 2012). However, in many destinations, public art might not be highlighted on tourist maps or routes.

Commonly, the popularity of Street art has increased in many cities as a tool for gaining esteem, attention, and as a competitive advantage in the cultural context of tourism. Several cities attempt to increase their potential attraction by introducing value-added products (Dwyer & Kim, 2003).In this light, street art is becoming an increasingly important tourist resource.

Although the ambiguous perspectives and attitudes, and the lack of prestige, street music continues to flourish. Indeed, the "presence effect" of street musicians is strengthening in the urban soundscape since the turn of the millennium (Rotenberg, 2020). Obviously, when music is presented as a performance, stimulates hearing, seeing, and feelings. Musicians and audiences share this memorable experience in the street (Akkuzu, 2021). Every city has its distinctive street music genres, style, and instruments. The interaction of street musicians with their context depends mainly on their spots, their relation with the onlookers, and the other musicians (ROTENBERG, 2020). Street musicians have several roles in the cultural, social, and tourism context. They are entertainers, promotional agents, and influencers as their music could give life to the city. For example, street music in the city centers of some famous touristic cities such as Paris, New York, Bath, Rome, and Bristol enhances the tourist experiences and offers a unique soundscape (Clua et al., 2020).

Previously, numerous studies have discussed street performances in the context of urban planning, sociology, architecture, ethnography, and public spaces. They have focused on street performances and the way people perceive these performances within public spaces (Thompson et al., 2005; Carlin, 2014; Ho & Au,2021), the ethnographic and environmental aspects of street performances (Ho& Au,2021) street performances as a tool for promoting city culture (Frost et al,2015; Rodrigues,2019 ).

In the 1980s the quality of public spaces within street music performances and their role started to be discussed (Carmona et al., 2012; Slynn, 2017). Also, some previous studies have highlighted the historical, cultural and social, ethnographic perspectives of street music (Watt, 2016; Kozyr, 2016; Wees, 2017), the role of street music in creating a sense of place (Kong, 1995; Fullerton,2011; Doubleday,2018), street music in some European cities (Yasuda, 2001; Floch,2007; Grygier, 2013; Bennett & Mckay, 2019), challenges and conflicts around street musicians practices and government regulations (Green, 2020; Clua et al., 2020), tourism and street music (Kaul, 2014).

Furthermore, other earlier studies have explored street music in Istanbul, particularly Istiklal Street. For example, the effect of street music on the perception of public spaces (Gemci & Ferah,2020) the migrant Syrian street musicians in Istanbul and their role in the context of political issues (Hajj, 2016; Öğüt, 2021) the social role of street music in public spaces (AKKUZU, 2021)

Despite the multiplicity of studies on street music from cultural, political, urban, ethnographic, and sociable perspectives, street art in general and particularly street music has not yet received enough attention in tourism literature. Accordingly, unlike mentioned studies, the current study aims to investigate how street music could create a unique memorable tourist experience in Istiklal Street. Specifically, it seeks to explore the tourists' perception of street music in the case of Istiklal Street as well as highlight the potential tourism value of street music as public art. Additionally, the study aims to explore the factors determining the success of street music in Istiklal Street from the tourists' perspective which could help promoting street music in other tourism destinations such as Egypt where several cultural potentials are not yet exploited.

Hence, the research questions are:

To what extent street music in Istiklal Street could create a unique tourist experience?
What are the factors affecting the tourists' perception of street music in Istiklal Street?
What are the recommendations, which could be useful for other tourism destinations to promote street music as a potential tourist attraction?

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

Street Art Concept

The concept of "Street art" is still in debate as until now there is no comprehensive definition (Yan et al., 2019). Blanché (2015) stated that the term "street art" has a changeable meaning with time. Also, Radosevic (2013) explained that the overlapping relation between graffiti and street art makes understanding this concept so difficult. Nevertheless, Blanché (2015) has presented a practical definition of street art as “self-authorized pictures, characters, and forms created in or applied to surfaces in urban space that intentionally seek communication with a larger circle of people” (p. 33). Furthermore, Rodrigues (2015)noted that street art can create a public dialogue about the political, social, and cultural effects of arts. For example, Brooke (2007) stated that graffiti as an interactive form of art could create a dialogue between the artists and the writers.

Moreover, Arts Council England defined street art as a comprehensive term that includes several forms of art such as music, theater, dance, carnival, spectacle, and circus (Rodrigues, 2019). In Europe, street art has different names such as urban cultures, street theatre, public art, in situ theatre, and art in open space (Floch, 2007).In fact, Street art is presented to the public for free, usually presented in outdoor and non-traditional places. It attracts a wide range of audiences who can follow it in rural and urban settings (Floch,2007).In this context, Skinner and Jolliffe (2017) discussed that street arts are presented without fees and there are no fixed hours to follow them so it usually has a big number of audiences(Yan et al., 2019).

Actually, Street art has several vital roles in the tourism context and place making (Kusumowidagdo & Wardhani, 2018); Firstly, street art serves as an attraction to many cities and neighborhoods; it can add life and entertainment to small and neglected areas in the cities. In addition, street art can provide visitors with a unique experience as it symbolizes the identity of the place and local community (Rodrigues, 2019). Secondly, many governmental and tourist authorities recognize the sociocultural and economic importance of street art. Accordingly, they consider street art as a part of urban planning, and economic and cultural development (Kusumowidagdo & Wardhani, 2018). They adopted policies and practices to develop street art as a new tourist attraction that offers new experiences (Gemci & Ferah, 2020). For example, many cities promote street art by organizing some festivals and street art walking tours. One of the most successful examples is Melbourne, which gained a good reputation through utilizing its street art in central business districts (Young, 2010).In short, It's important to emphasize that street art is unlike other iconic attractions as it is hard to copy and always reflects the uniqueness and authenticity of the places (Kusumowidagdo & Wardhani, 2018).

Street performances and artists

As stated in the Oxford Dictionaries "Busker" is an individual who presents music or any other form of entertainment in public spaces or streets for financial aid and donations. Generally, the performance of artists in the street or a public place is known as "street performance" or "busking"(Rodrigues, 2019).In this regard, Simpson (2011) defined street performance as an activity by which several nonmusical and musical performances take place in urban places to collect donations from onlookers. Likewise, Lemay et al. (2013) noted that street performers amuse the pedestrians as they walk through the streets and public spaces seeking reward or recompense for their effort and time.

It is clear that street performances can play various roles socially and culturally. Tanenbaum (1995) clarified that street performance could transform public spaces into warm and friendly places, and create contact among onlookers, environment and people. Accordingly, street performances could make cultural changes and transform cities and communities into sustainable urban places (Rodrigues, 2019). Moreover, street performance is a creative activity presenting cultural identities to attract diverse onlookers, especially tourists and visitors (Floch, 2007; ROTENBERG, 2020). However, street performance is still perceived as "Begging work" by some opinions (Rodrigues, 2019).

Street music

Street music, for years, has been the only accessible form of music for low-income categories. For example, at the beginning of the 19th century, London's streets were full of bands, drummers, panpipes, and roller organs of buskers who amused passersby with popular music (Prato, 1984; Gemci & Ferah, 2020). In this regard, Watt (2016) stated that in the 1960s, street musicians were representatives of public art. During this decade hippie music has emerged as a result of the political and cultural movement of the young generations. The songs in native languages, the traditional instruments, and Rhythm were means to attract people with common interests in public areas. Gradually, street entertainment became a part of social activity which is nowadays developed to be street music (Gemci & Ferah, 2020).

According to Stäbler & Mierisch (2021), street music refers to the music presented and performed in the streets. Nevertheless, this definition needs more specification and further limitations as street music are not all forms of music that can be heard in public places, for example; mp3 music, radio music, songs during religious ceremonies, and public concerts for audiences. As mentioned by Gemci & Ferah (2020) this kind of music is a part of something called ''soundscape”. Further, Grygier (2013) defined street music as a genre of music that is performed in closed or open spaces such as metro, buses, streets, gardens, or cemeteries. A key aspect of this definition is determining to whom this music should be performed; it should not be played only for performers and their friends, but also for public audiences or onlookers who stop to hear it. On the other hand, Stäbler & Mierisch (2021) explained that street music performances have main four features:

The location or the pitch

Street musicians do not have a fixed location so they may move from one place to another (Watt, 2016; Slynn, 2017). They do not give much importance to the location of their performances; they focus more on the suitableness of the venue. Nevertheless, this place may reflect a deep meaning for local residents as well as the street music and this could increase their attachment to the place (Slynn, 2017). Moreover, Smith (1996) mentioned that street musicians play their music in a place called "Pitch". The key element of attractive street music performances is choosing a good pitch (Gemci & Ferah, 2020). Most pitches are in public spaces especially hot spots with attractive backgrounds, less noisy and more visible (Gemci & Ferah, 2020). In this regard, David & Greenwood (1981) added that good pitches are located close to cafés, restaurants, bars, shopping malls, transportations, bazaars, tourist attractions as well as famous and popular squares. Street musicians usually take permission from those places to perform their music (Green, 2020). This means that the street plays a significant role in shaping the music identity; it is linked to the shops, gardens, and roads where noise and sounds are always blended (Watt, 2016). On the other hand, the perceptions of street musicians and performances are often associated with the term "creative autonomy", which refers to the identities of musicians as performers .The commercial and hot spot spaces are considered as creative sites for street musicians to practice diverse forms of music (Green, 2020).

Musicians leave a hat or instrument cover in front of them during the performance to encourage passersby to put their donations inside it, sometimes they move close to the people who are seating and hear them to ask for money(Rodrigues, 2019; ROTENBER,2020).

B. The type of street musicians

The Musicians can be Native or foreign, groups or individuals. Occasionally, the natives and foreign musicians gather together in one performance to attract more onlookers. Additionally, street musicians can be classified into; "individual musicians" who permanently play music all around the year and gain their income from performing music in the streets and "occasional musician" who plays music irregularly either during holidays and weekends (Grygier, 2013).

C. Type of playing music

The street musicians play various types of music such as folk, rock, jazz, pop, ethnic, classic and western music and often combined different styles of music (Gemci & Ferah,2020; Green,2020). It can be noticed that buskers play diverse instruments (e.g. flutes, harps, violins, accordions, guitars, saxophones, and clarinets), and some of them sing during their performances. These musical styles and instruments reflect the cultural identity of those musicians (Clua et al., 2020).

D. The performance form

The Performance is classified into planned or unplanned acting and stimulates onlookers to dance and participate. Also, the language and the instrument of the song can make the performance more attractive (Stäbler & Mierisch, 2021).

Recently, Street music becomes a unique attraction in many tourism destinations whereas Street musicians can be seen everywhere playing their music and attracting many onlookers. Behind this spreading and flourishing various reasons:

Enhancing the audio-urban environment of the city: one of the new urbanism ideas is to create a friendly environment to combat noise pollution in urban ecologies. Thus, the street musicians become one comfortable feature of the soundscape of the city.
Improvement of global transport systems: the musicians can easily move from one place to another and overcome the problem of long distances seeking a cultural exchange.

3. Documentation and recording of all the information about street musicians in mass media: buskers are not only part of the geographical soundscape, but also the virtual media. Everyday many onlookers share blogs and videos of street musicians on social media. Furthermore, numerous amateurs collect and publish their performances on many websites and pages (ROTENBERG, 2020; AKKUZU, 2021). For instance, in 2012, a group of fans from all around the world launched a project entitled" World Street Music project," and posted more than 200 videos on YouTube channels.

4. Local authorities support street music: globally, street music festivals are often held with the support of municipalities. In this light, the city councils play an important role in designing the performance spots for street musicians. Tel Aviv and Montreal are the best examples of this experience (Gemci & Ferah, 2020).

5. Street music is considered as an important element of the urban economy: many cities started to add street musicians, graffiti, and other informal arts in tourist brochures. Street musicians have a vital role in promoting marginal and neglected areas and attracting tourists and visitors to these places and thus supporting the local economy (Kaul, 2014).

6. The role of modern technology in improving the quality of the music: for example, more than 10 years ago the Roland Company produced a line called "street" which consists of new equipment produced mainly for street musicians such as microphones and speakers (ROTENBERG, 2020).

Street music as a social and cultural activity

The rhythm of street music motivates audiences and attracts them to stop, engage and dance close to their friends or even with strangers. Such a circle creates a social interaction between onlookers who dance hand in hand and join the song’s lyrics (AKKUZU, 2021). This example describes the unique social interaction with others through street music (Gemci & Ferah, 2020).In this way, street music in public spaces could be a tool for social attraction, where people can meet (Fullerton, 2011). Similarly, Doumpa (2012) argued that music performances in public spaces could create a social activity. Furthermore, street music performance encourages visitors to interact with each other and with musicians as well, as engage in social contact. Thus, sharing spaces with street musicians may create memorable experiences between different groups in the street (Doubleday, 2018). Also, friendships might be established in this atmosphere between visitors and musicians. (Fullerton, 2011).

On the other hand, street music as a part of street setting is considered as a cultural activity. It shows both the traditional culture and art of any city, as well as its cultural assets (Rodrigues, 2019). In this regard, Doumpa (2012) noted that street musicians could be native or foreign from various cultural backgrounds and this adds diversity to their performances.

Additionally, many people can consume street music as a cultural product as it is easy to access without any limitation. It improves creativity, promotes the city culture, and enhances the sense of belonging between locals. Certainly, street music changes people's perception of the street, which is no longer just a way to reach a destination but a place of joy and entertainment (Green, 2020).In short, street music could display the urban and cultural life of the cities, and create a positive environment that encourages people to interact and spend interesting moments (Rodrigues, 2019).

Street music performances and sense of place

Music has an important role in shaping the identities of people and places and creating a sense of place both through its production and consumption. In addition, it can be a means of developing a strong emotional or spiritual attachment to a place (Kong, 1995; Hudson, 2006). Definitively, music can create unforgettable images of the place and contribute significantly to its production in many different ways (Cohen, 1995).

Lin (2012) suggested that the experience of any place is a "total sensory experience". Thus, the sense of place is a meaning-oriented concept that is shaped by emotions. Also, it refers to the attachment of individuals or groups to a place (Gemci & Ferah, 2020). As mentioned by Relph (2016), a sense of place is derived from lived experience in the place and its intangible essence. In this light, Lin (2012) highlighted that a sense of place may be enhanced by factors such as purpose, frequency and time of visit, types of activities and recreation, and familiarity with a place.

The individual's perception of the place is mainly shaped through senses such as touch, smell, sound, and sight (Cross, 2015). Accordingly, "Sensory" experiences can be created through sounds and visuals which strengthen our senses (Mazumdar, 2003).For example, particular aspects of a place such as hearing distinguishes sounds, smelling specific scents, and other features evoke the memory of a certain place in the minds of tourists (McLane,2011).

Street music in pedestrian spaces creates an intimate experience and adds different feelings to the settings through encountering face to face other people (Fullerton, 2011; Doubleday, 2018). The audiences feel various senses and emotions while following the street music performances. The sound of instruments, the movements of the musicians, and their costumes attract passersby to stop and watch the performance (Lin, 2012; Doubleday, 2018). This audiovisual experience created between musicians and the audience builds unforgettable memories and makes the visitors more connected to places (Fullerton, 2011). The traditional meaning of place does not exist anymore, places are always linked to the outside which distinguishes and gives them unique characteristics (Doubleday, 2018). Based on this, street musicians can be this linkage and contribute to the life of the place (Kusumowidagdo & Wardhani, 2018).

Street music as a tourism attraction

Street music has a global appeal around the world as it is an attractive tool for storytelling in any city or public space (Gemci & Ferah, 2020). Five decades ago street art was an important component of urban development. In this context, many cities started to recognize arts as consumable cultural assets of tourist attractions (Rodrigues, 2019). For example, several European cities used street music as an important tool for enhancing culture and competitiveness, fostering new tourist attractions, experiences, and promoting the image (Floch, 2007; Rodrigues, 2019).

Also, the increasing numbers of tourists interested in arts motivate destinations to invest in arts and renew the traditional forms (Craik, 2002). For instance, street performers are considered one of the main tourist attractions in England, particularly in a city called "Bath" which receives about 3.8 Million visitors (day trips). They perform their art mainly in the city center and add a unique atmosphere to the streets (Simpson, 2011; Rodrigues, 2019).

Sometimes numerous public spaces may lack tourist attractions so that street music may offer the potential to be a new attraction (McKay, 2020). According to PPS (2008) street music performers attract people from different social and cultural backgrounds. People gather nearby the street music spots around musicians, singing, clapping, and dancing with the rhythm creating positive vibes in the street, which attract other passersby (Gemci & Ferah, 2020). Furthermore, street music could shape the visual image of public spaces and streets. For example, street music performances bring attention to neglected corners and buildings on the street (Kaul, 2014). Once musicians start to play music close to these buildings, people stop to listen, clap and be attentive to these spots. Therefore, street musicians choose coffee shops, restaurants, and shopping areas as spots for their performances to attract more onlookers to these locations (Gemci & Ferah, 2020).

It can be said that street music is an expression of the cultural identity of both city and the musicians. In several places such as city centers and crowded areas musicians and their performances display the cultural aspects of the city, bring life to the streets (Rodrigues, 2019). Many tourists record these memorable moments by photos or videos during performances and share them through social media (ROTENBERG, 2020). Sometimes street musicians wear traditional clothes and costumes reflecting their culture, which could increase the visibility of the places and appeal more tourists and onlookers (Grygier, 2013; Carlin, 2014).

Case study: Istiklal Street, Istanbul

Background of Street music in Istanbul

Istanbul is a city with a great history mixed with a religious background that enhances the storytelling of its cultural and historical origins. Many tourists visit Istanbul and enjoy the heritage sites (Poria et al., 2009; Grygier, 2013). Added to this, Istanbul is distinguished by its artistic appeal, which is one of crucial components of its identity and socio-cultural aspects (Frost, 2015). The roots of street musicians come from the Turkish culture, they were known as "Traveller musicians "in ancient times. They are also called ‘Asik’ or’ Ozan' and usually travel, play music, and ask for food, money, or shelter. Those musicians have various roles as storytellers of verbal culture, educating the community, and even criticizing the political life at this time (Malkoç, 2018). Some of the characteristics of traveller musicians can be observed among the current street musicians, their performances have become a means of socializing and entertainment (Akkuzu, 2020).

Nowadays, Istanbul has a distinctive style of street music that has been influenced by West European arts. Interestingly, street music performances can be seen in crowded areas such as main streets, metro stations, and ferryboats crossing the Bosphorus (Gemci & Ferah, 2020).

Street music in Istiklal Street

Two centuries ago, the Beyoglu district, specifically Istiklal Street, has been a public area influenced by the architecture of European style. This street has been a symbol of art and culture as well as a hot spot for transportation and a center of governmental bodies. In 1991, the municipality of Istanbul decided to close the street and prevent any vehicle to enter. This contributes to the increase of footers who come for shopping or enjoy their meals in restaurants or coffee shops (Gemci & Ferah, 2020; Öğüt, 2021)

The length of this street is around 1.7 Km and extends from Taksim square to Beyoglu Tunnel, while the width is around 15 meters. Istiklal Street is famous for its various dynamic and social activities, shops, hotels, old buildings, consulates, cultural centers, and religious attractions. The area hosts every day a flow of tourists and visitors from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds (Can, 2012). Additionally, this street is populated by diverse residents who bring with them different styles of music (Watson, 2009). According to Akkuzu (2020), Istiklal Street has witnessed several changes and transformations, which affected its dynamic, but music has survived anyway. Street music plays a dynamic role in Istiklal Street (Table 1) and other places close to it; it continues to be a unique part of the street's identity (Grygier, 2013). Currently, Istiklal Street has a special atmosphere that makes it the most favorite street for the street musicians, tourists and visitors. In this regard, Gemci & Ferah (2020) mentioned in their study that there are more than ten spots for street musicians in Istiklal Street to attract the passersby.

In 2020, Istiklal Street has hosted “Müzik Durakları” as a local street event within the project of the European Capital of Culture. Since 2005, this street has become a destination for many street music performances such as Sumner-Boyd and freely (AKKUZU, 2021).

Figure 1: Musicians performing street music, Istiklal Street, Istanbul 2021

Source: Author

Table1. Street music in Istiklal Street

Location (the hot spot)

Music style

Musician’s nationality

The language of the performance

The instrument

The duration of the performance

Close to metro station
Near to tram line
Taksim square
Near to the most famous attractions in Istkilal street e.g.,

Art galleries
Historical buildings
Churches
Consulates
Chain restaurants and fast food
In front of graffiti

Individuals
Groups

Ethnic group (consists of two musicians)

Local musicians (Native Turkish)
Foreigners musicians (from Middle East countries and ethnic groups)

Close to metro station
Near to tram line
Taksim square
Near to the most famous attractions in Istkilal street e.g.,

Art galleries
Historical buildings
Churches
Consulates
Chain restaurants and fast food
In front of graffiti

Individuals
Groups

Ethnic group (consists of two musicians)

Local musicians (Native Turkish)
Foreigners musicians (from Middle East countries and ethnic groups)

Source: Author adapted from Gemci & Ferah, 2020.

Sampling technique and data collection

In this study, data were collected using convenience sampling. This technique saves time and helps scholars to collect data from a huge number of participants located in different geographical locations (An et al., 2019). In this light, Belza et al. (2017) highlighted that in pedestrian areas with high traffic, convenience sampling is commonly used to sample passersby.

The data collection method used in this article was a quantitative approach, which is the most suitable approach for this study. The researcher designed the questionnaire to achieve the study's objectives and address the research questions.To reach a large sample, the questionnaire was shared online through Facebook, some bloggers and many pages and groups related to tourism in Istanbul. 255questionnaires were submitted online in one month from November 15 to December 15 of 2021.

Questionnaire design

The questionnaire was written in Arabic and English language to ease its understanding and increase the chance to gather data from a huge number of tourists. A total of 22 items were developed based on previous studies and according to the objectives of the study. At the beginning of the questionnaire, the participants were asked whether agree or not to participate in the survey. The questionnaire included four sections. The first section describes the socio-demographic profile of the respondents (gender, nationality, age, educational level). The second section consists of nine questions that explore the tourists’ experience of street music performances. The third section contains 22 statements that identify the factors affecting tourists' perception of street music particularly in Istiklal Street.

Data analysis

Descriptive statistics such as frequency distributions, percentages, standard deviation and means were used to describe the respondents' socio-demographic profile and the respondents’ preferences and experience of street music performances in Turkey, particularly Istiklal Street. The 22 statements related to the tourists' perception of street music were rated on a Likert scale from one (1) (strongly disagree) to five (5) (strongly agree). The mean and standard deviation were calculated to determine the importance of each statement. In addition, the researcher conducted an exploratory factor analysis to identify the factors affecting the tourists' perception of street music. Only factors with Eigenvalues greater than one were considered essential (Luo & Deng, 2008).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Socio-demographic characteristics

Table 2 describes the socio-demographic profile of the respondents. Of the sample, 60.78%were women, 50.98% aged between 18-30 years old, 60.40% had Bachelor's degrees and 32.94% of the respondents originated from the Middle East and North Africa. These findings are consistent with Aerny-Perreten (2015) who indicated that women are the most participants in the online questionnaire. Further, this is in line with the study of Fullerton (2011) who mentioned that it's likely the participants between 18-30 are the majority of the survey because the pedestrians' streets contain stores and entertainment venues that target customers of this age range. In addition, in terms of nationalities, the respondents reflected the diversity of tourists who visit Istiklal Street.

Table 2. Socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents (n=255)

Variables		Frequency (n)	Percentage (%)
Gender	Men	100	39.22
Gender	Women	155	60.78
Age	18-30 years old	130	50.98
	30-40 years old	84	32.94
	41-50 years old	20	7.84
	More than 50 years old	21	8.24
Education level	High school	13	5.10
	Bachelor	154	60.40
	Master/Doctorate	88	34.50
Nationality	Middle East and North Africa	84.00	32.94
	USA	16.00	6.27
	Europe	70.00	27.45
	Latin America	9.00	3.53
	North America	24.00	9.41
	Asia	37.00	14.51
	Africa	15.00	5.88

The tourists experience of street music performances in Istiklal Street

Table 3 describes the tourists' experience of street music performances in Istiklal Street. It shows that most respondents came to Turkey for tourism purposes (56.47%), most of them preferred historical sites as tourist attractions (52.94%) and most respondents (52.55%) watched street music in the streets and main squares. In addition, Table 3 showed that more than half of the sample (50.98%) visited Istiklal street between 1-5 times, 54.51% of the respondents spent between 1-5 minutes watching street music in Istiklal Street, 40.78% of them watched about 2-3 street music shows and 45.09% of them watched these street performances in the Turkish language. With regards to the kind of music, 45.09% of the respondents enjoyed the most Turkish music whilst 20% of them enjoyed Arabic music. Furthermore, 44.31% of the respondents suggested that the quality of sound and instruments of street music in Istiklal Street should be improved.

Consistent with the findings, the previous study by McCarthy (2006) revealed that public art in all forms is mainly performed in public spaces such as squares and pedestrian streets. It was evidenced by Gemci & Ferah (2020) who stated that playing authentic instruments and singing songs in native languages could attract people. They added that many groups of musicians (foreign or local) and individuals perform songs in several languages such as Turkish, Arabic, English, or Persian. Similarly, the study conducted by Fullerton (2011) showed that the majority of respondents visited the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, USA 1 to 5 times. This pedestrian street is distinguished by its unique ambiance that mixes shopping and street performances. Moreover, the results of this study are aligned with Koziol (2013) who explained that some onlookers suggested that the quality of street music and instruments in public spaces should be improved.

Table 3. Tourists' experience of street music performances in Istiklal Street (n=255)

Variables		Frequency (n)	Percentage (%)
The primary purpose of visiting Turkey	Tourism	144	56.47
	Business	95	37.25
	Conference	5	1.96
	Visiting family and friends	11	4.31
Most favorite tourism attraction	Historical sites	135	52.94
	Natural sites	82	32.16
	Performing arts	25	9.80
	Cultural festivals	13	5.10
The areas the participants stopped and watched street music	Metro underground	50	19.60
	Metro bus	31	12.16
	Tram	40	15.69
	Street and main squares	134	52.55
Number of times the participants visited Istiklal street	1-5 times	130	50.98
	6-15 times	65	25.49
	More than 15 times	60	23.56
The duration the participants spent watching street Music at Istiklal Street	1-5 minutes	139	54.51
	6-10 minutes	80	31.37
	11-15 minutes	20	7.84
	More than 15 minutes	16	6.27
The number of shows seen by the participants	Only one show	35	13.72
	2-3 shows	104	40.78
	4-5 shows	31	12.16
	More than 5 shows	85	33.33
Language of the performed street music	Turkish	115	45.09
	English	45	17.65
	Arabic	51	20.00
	Kurdish	29	11.37
	Persian	15	5.88
The kind of music the participants enjoyed the most	Turkish music	111	43.52
	Western music	45	17.64
	Arabic music	60	23.53
	Kurdish music	23	9.03
	Jazz music	16	6.27
The aspects that should be improved in street music performance in Istiklal street	The organization	97	38.03
	The venue	45	17.65
	The quality of sound and instruments	113	44.31

Tourist's perception of street music in Istiklal Street

The respondents were provided with 22 statements regarding their perception of street music in Istiklal Street. A scale of one to five was used to rate the importance of each statement (strongly disagree to strongly agree). The mean and standard deviations of each statement are presented in Table 4. The five most important perceptions according to the mean values are: 'street music makes Istiklal street alive and the atmosphere exciting and amazing' (4.62), 'street musicians improve the atmosphere of shopping in Istiklal street by providing something out of the ordinary (4.33), 'I prefer to take photos and record videos for the street music performance' (4.11), 'street music makes Istiklal street as a unique place' (4.04), 'I prefer staying in restaurants or coffee shops close to the street musicians'(3.95).

Table 4. Tourist's perception of street music in Istiklal Street

S.D refers to Standard Deviation

S.D	Mean	Statements
0.94	4.62	Street music makes Istiklal street alive and the atmosphere exciting and amazing
0.84	4.33	Street musicians improve the atmosphere of shopping in Istiklal street by providing something out of the ordinary.
1.04	4.11	I prefer to take photos and record videos for the street music performance
0.71	4.04	Street music makes Istiklal street as a unique place
0.76	3.95	I prefer staying in restaurants or coffee shops close to the street musicians
0.68	3.91	I discover some places worth visiting close to the street music venues
0.99	3.59	I Prefer shopping in Istiklal street and enjoying the street music performances
1.15	3.57	The presence of street musicians influenced positively my decision to visit Istiklal street
1.05	3.55	Street music is a noisy practice
1.01	3.51	I’m always sharing both videos and photos on social media (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp)
0.99	3.41	Street music makes Istiklal street more crowded and less enjoyable
1.35	3.22	Street music increases the illegal practices like thieving
1.25	3.18	I can’t imagine Istiklal Street without listening to the musical instruments of the musicians
1.25	3.18	The street musicians in Istiklal street create memorable experiences that make me attached to the place
1.19	3.16	I'm always experiencing different emotions when looking at the performers' movements and costumes
1.07	3.05	Street music reflects the cultural identity of both musicians and the place
1.18	3.04	I feel I’m watching an authentic and local performance
1.16	2.93	Street music is an opportunity to knowing about other cultures
1.21	2.90	I prefer dancing close to strangers as well as my friends
1.16	2.87	Street music is an opportunity to make a relationship with onlookers
1.11	2.80	I prefer sometimes to interact with musicians (dancing, singing, and talking )
1.14	2.73	I prefer following the street musicians only without participation

Exploratory Factor Analysis

Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on 22 statements to explore the patterns of the responses. Only 18 of 22 statements were kept after factor loading and evaluated as essential based on their eigenvalues greater than or equal to one (Luo & Deng, 2008). Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) was determined to check the sampling adequacy. With a value of Chronbach alpha of 0.788 and a KMO value of 0.889, the study sample had good reliability and adequacy of the sample. Previously, Hair et al. (2010) stated that a value of KMO greater than 0.6 reveals good adequacy of the sampling.

The factor analysis showed four-factor solutions that account for a total variance of 70.190%. These factor solutions were (1) street music as a valuable element in creating a sense of place (2) street music as an exciting and interesting/annoying or even dangerous practice (3) street music as a social and cultural activity, and (4) street music as a tourist attraction.

The percentage of variance interpreted by each factor and its Eigenvalue is shown in Table 5. With a total variance of 70.190%, factor one accounted for 35.342% and therefore it is the most significant factor-affecting tourists’ perception of street music. Factor one is namely "street music as an important element in creating a sense of place "contributes 35.342% to the total variance and included five items; ‘the street musicians in Istiklal street create memorable experiences that make me attached to the place', 'I'm always experiencing different emotions when looking to the performers' movements and costumes', ' I can't imagine Istiklal Street without listening to the musical instruments of the musicians', 'I feel I'm watching an authentic and local performance, Street music makes Istiklal street as a unique place’.

These results are supported by Kämpfe et al. (2011) who explained that street musicians could create memorable experiences and construct perceptions of the emotion generated through music. In this regard, Doubleday (2018) mentioned that visitors are struck by a variety of emotions as they focus on the movements and the costumes of the street music performers. She pointed out in the same study that the audiovisual experiences, which are generated between onlookers and street musicians, create memorable and intimate connections to places. Furthermore, the results of our study come in line with Sancar (2003) and Kämpfe et al. (2011) who noted that music as a background particularly in public areas can directly convey feelings, enhance emotions as well as revive memories and perceptions.

Moreover, these findings were discussed previously in Wagemans (2011) who clarified that public art especially street music could create a sense of familiarity and belonging to the places. In this context, McLane (2011) stated that street music performances could induce various sensations through interaction, sounds, and movements and this could be a base for a strong connection to places. Likewise, these findings are consistent with Doubleday (2018) who highlighted that street music can generate a level of attachment to the place, as it is accessible and available to all not like the scheduled planned shows.

Based on previous results and discussion, the street music performances in Istiklal Street contribute to the development of a sense of place through these encounters and memorable experiences.

The second factor, " street music as excitement and interesting/ annoying or even dangerous practice" ’contributes 16.565% to the total variance and contains six items; ‘Street music makes Istiklal street alive and the atmosphere exciting and amazing', 'I'm always sharing both videos and photos on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp) ', 'I prefer to take photos and record videos for the street music performance', 'street music makes Istiklal street more crowded and less enjoyable', 'street music is a noisy practice', 'street music increases the illegal practices like a thieving'.

These results are aligned with the study of Simpson (2011) who stated that in public spaces, street performers and buskers enrich public spaces, give them a sense of life, and enhance interactions. He added that such activities keep the streets alive. Likewise, Doubleday (2018) argued that onlookers feel excitement and enjoyment once they stop to listen and watch the street musicians and this enhances their experience in city centers. However, Simpson (2011) and Green (2020) clarified that street performances may emerge as a danger and a threat that should be regulated, mapped, and well managed. Furthermore, these results are similar to the study of Rotenberg (2020) who noted that many onlookers prefer to document these pleasant moments by capturing videos and photos of street musicians, posting them on social media, and sharing them with their friends and relatives. This increases the visibility of street music and promotes their performances.

The third factor named '' street music as a social and cultural activity " explained the total variance by 10.110% and included four items; 'street music is an opportunity to make a relationship and interact with onlookers, 'I prefer sometimes to interact with musicians (dancing, singing, and talking) ', 'street music is an opportunity for knowing about other cultures, 'street music reflects the cultural identity of the musicians and place'. These findings are consistent with Simpson (2011), Doumpa (2012) and Doubleday (2018) who confirmed that buskers and their music are a medium of interaction and a potential friendship between musicians and onlookers. Also, Gemci & Ferah (2020) mentioned that street music could create a pleasant atmosphere for interaction and building even relations among strangers. In this light, Rodrigues (2019) referred that street music performance is a social process that originates from this interaction.

Moreover, this result is in line with Doughty & Lagerqvist (2016) who noted that regardless of the differences between street musicians and audiences such as language and cultural background, the music is able to meet all these differences, foster feelings, and encourage the onlookers to share memorable moments with the musicians.

Similarly, the study conducted by Fullerton (2011) found that street music is a tool for cultural exchange regardless language barriers. According to Doumpa (2012), native or foreign musicians, representing different cultural backgrounds, perform street music. Moreover, Doubleday (2018) stated in her study about the Third Street Promenade in the USA that visitors experience multi-sense street performances and various cultural expressions. Likewise, Rodrigues (2019) indicated in his findings that street music plays a significant role in the city's culture.

Finally, factor four is named ‘‘street music as a tourist attraction’’ explains only 8.172 % of the variance. It contains only three items; 'Street musicians improve the atmosphere of shopping in Istiklal Street by providing something out of the ordinary, 'I Prefer shopping in Istiklal street and enjoying the street music performances’, ‘street music performances make ignored corners of Istiklal Street interesting and bring a vital attraction to them’. These findings are in agreement with the studies by Fullerton (2011) and Doubleday (2018) who explained that street music could enhance the shopping experience, particularly for women, it is a combination between shopping and enjoyment. They added that musicians and their bands are an attractive background for many visitors, tourists, and locals. The loud sound of music, the distinctive clothes, and the movement of the musicians are the popular ways to attract them.

Likewise, the study conducted by Gemci & Ferah (2020) discussed that street musicians always choose specific places in pedestrians' streets as pitches for their performances for example; buildings with unique architectures or neglected corners. This means that street music can transform these places into tourist attractions as the onlookers gather around musicians and spend part of their time watching the performances and sharing those memorable experiences (Rodrigues, 2019).

Table5. Factors affecting tourist perception of street music in Istiklal Street

Statements	Factor1	Factor2	Factor3		Factor 4	Com
Factor 1: Street music as a valuable element in creating a sense of place
The street musicians in Istiklal street create memorable experiences that make me attached to the place	0.935					0.807
I'm always experiencing different emotions when looking at the performers' movements and costumes	0.913					0.787
I can’t imagine Istiklal Street without listening to the musical instruments of the musicians	0.898					0.773
I feel I’m watching an authentic and local performance	0.866					0.736
Street music makes Istiklal street as a unique place	0.852					0.755
Factor 2: Street music as exciting and interesting/ annoying or even dangerous practice
Street music makes Istiklal street alive and the atmosphere exciting and amazing		0.89				0.71
I’m always sharing both videos and photos on social media(Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp)		0.873				0.682
I prefer to take photos and record videos for the street music performance		0.803				0.637
Street music makes Istiklal street more crowded and less enjoyable		0.787				0.576
Street music is a noisy practice.		0.719				0.615
Street music increases the illegal practices like thieving		0.298				0.149
Factor 3: Street music as a social and cultural activity
Street music is an opportunity to make a relationship and interact with onlookers			0.94			0.759
I prefer sometimes to interact with musicians (dancing, singing, and talking )			0.91			0.735
Street music is an opportunity to knowing about other cultures			0.838			0.656
Street music reflects the cultural identity of both musicians and the place			0.651			0.477
Factor 4: Street music as a tourist attraction
Street musicians improve the atmosphere of shopping in Istiklal street by providing something out of the ordinary.				0.878		0.668
I Prefer shopping in Istiklal street and enjoying the street music performances				0.863		0.689
Street music performances make ignored corners of Istiklal street interesting and bring a vital attraction to them				0.861		0.724
Eigenvalue	6.772	3.124	2.073		1.698
Variance (%) (total= 70.190)	35.34	16.56	10.11		8.172
KMO= (0.889)	0.950	0.870	0.899		0.905
Chronbach alpha (total=0.788)	0.950	0.870	0.899		0.905

CONCLUSION

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of street music in enhancing tourists' experiences and explore the tourists' perception of street music in Istiklal Street. The results showed that tourists had a positive perception of street music performances in Istiklal Street. Also, the results indicated that four factors; street music as an important element in creating a sense of place, an exciting and interesting practice, a social and cultural activity, and a tourist attraction affect tourist perception of street music in Istiklal Street.

Furthermore, the presence of street music in Istiklal Street adds a distinctive sense of place to the street as well as improves the connection between tourists and the place. Accordingly, street music could increase the city's attractiveness and create a memorable tourist experience. Based on the study findings, street musicians are evidently a dynamic component of Istiklal Street and could significantly contribute to its success and growth.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

For the case study

Based on the above-mentioned results Turkey Ministry of culture and tourism and policymakers should consider street music as a valuable feature of public spaces in Turkey and particularly in Istanbul. Thus, there is an urgent need to create tourist routes to highlight the various locations of street musicians in Istanbul. These street music routes could be one of the must-see attractions in Istanbul. In addition, they will allow musicians to grow and promote themselves, the cultural identity of the city, and the country's image. To increase the visibility of street performances in the city, it could be be helpful to learn from the previous best practices of other cities such as the Porto project in Portugal to develop a tourist route.

The Ministry of culture and tourism should improve the collaboration with the municipality to organize a street music festival and change the people's perception of street art as a form of art for the poor. This event should be added to the city tourism agenda and will significantly influence the country's economy and foster cultural esteem. Furthermore, the city council needs to implement clear regulations to control and arrange street music performances in Istanbul, specifically in Istiklal Street.

For other destinations

They should:

Explore the phenomena of street music in main tourism destinations in Egypt to document the existing street music potential in these cities for example; Cairo, Alexandria, Sharm Elshiekh, Luxor, Aswan, and Nubia.
Assess the residents' perceptions of street music as a social, cultural activity as well as a potential tourist attraction.
Investigate the needs and challenges of the musicians to promote street music in some key touristic destinations.
Propose a legal regulation of street music performances in tourism destinations through collaboration between the local authorities, the musicians and the DMOs.
Adopt a project to promote street music as free public art in some main Avenues, squares and public spaces as hot spots for street musicians such as Tahrir square, Elmoaz Street, Nile Cornish, Parks and shopping hubs. This project could play a vital role in reinvigorating tourism in many spots.

For Destination marketing organizations (DMOs)

DMOs should promote a variety of attractions in tourism destinations to increase tourism demand. In addition, they should improve the competitive advantages of the destinations by offering unique and memorable experiences. It's important for DMOs to promote street music performances as a new tourist attraction, an integral part of the destination's culture, and emphasize on its economic and social value. In that sense, it's essential for DMOs to use social media, blogs, and storytelling in order to market street music. Ultimately, Street music should be added to the official tourism websites as a new attraction.

FUTURE RESEARCH

More studies are needed to explore the phenomena of street music and its potential in other tourism destinations such as Egypt, which has many cities, squares and streets that are distinguished by authentic music and cultural resources. Future studies are required to discuss the role of street music performances in the context of tourism as a tourist attraction. Actually, further research should address the role of street music in creating a sense of place and how buskers could be place makers. Finally, it is also necessary to examine how various governments can embrace Street performances in public places. All these studies could enhance the tourist experience and support the DMOs to target special interest tourists.

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