Tourism and Cultural Policy in Saudi Arabia

Introduction

The project will explore Saudi Arabia’s social support toward realizing the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 through economic diversification into a symbolic economy. The country was considered very religious and an unwelcoming place for tourism in the past. Tourism in the Kingdom (Saudi Arabia) was, in the past, primarily based on religious pilgrimages due to the sacred cities of Mecca and Medina. However, this has changed as the government decided to open the country and allow tourism in the Kingdom to realize the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. The vision will transfer the Kingdom’s economy from heavily relying on fossils and petroleum fuel toward a more sustainable budget.

Moreover, the symbolic economy (tourism, culture, media, and entertainment) will significantly support the vision’s realization within the set time. The Saudi Arabian government has been spending enormous amounts of money to change the public perception of the country, mainly through the media. The administration aims to promote the country’s acceptability by the global population. Hosting international conferences and events to attract more tourists and investors to the country is another strategy utilized by the nation. As such, the present work’s research question seeks to show the relationship between symbolic economy and traditional society and what would be the challenges, socially and politically, towards opening the country.

The main aims of the project are to:

• Examine the current situation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia concerning the development of
• a symbolic economy, defining what has been done so far and their plans for the future.
• Gauge the response of the symbolic economy experiences among international and local
• tourists.
• Identifying the challenges that need to be addressed to realize the full tourist potential
• arising out of the symbolic economy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Research Statement

Prince Mohammad Bin Salman (MBS) announced the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2030 Vision on the 25th of April 2016. The 2030 vision is set to transform the Kingdom’s income from a nation that heavily invests in oil to a knowledge economy by diversifying its income into investing in other sectors. Such sectors include education, tourism, entertainment, culture, agriculture, and other non-oil segments. Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision is built around three pillars: a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation. The first pillar, a vibrant society, allows society members to live in harmony by establishing a balance between the local Saudi traditions and accepting new concepts and ideas from the international communities. The strategy also seeks to promote the local citizens’ pride in their national identity and cultural heritage. Furthermore, the first pillar aims to help Saudi Arabians to enjoy a good life in a beautiful environment protected by caring families and supported by an empowering social and healthcare system.

A thriving economy is Saudi Arabia’s second pillar and targets the development of a robust ecosystem that can significantly grow the Kingdom’s economy through diversifying the Kingdom’s financial sources. The strategic purpose is to help the Kingdom introduce more non-oil-dependent investments, leading to increased (independent) job opportunities. The third pillar, ‘ambitious nation,’ is built on the desire to realize an effective, transparent, accountable, and enabling high-performing government. Saudi Arabia is the largest oil exporter in the international arena. The Kingdom further has massive amounts of oil reserves that remain unexploited. About forty percent of the Kingdom’s GDP comes from oil exports, while another forty percent is made from the private sector (Jabeen and Khan 212). In other words, there is a heavy reliance on oil as money from the industry comprises almost half of the national income.

However, the Saudi Arabia government recognizes that the oil-dependent economy’s sustainability is rapidly wasting relative to earlier days. This realization is the reason behind the administration’s enactment of Vision 2030 in 2016. The vision wants to diversify the Kingdom’s economic position, where it will no longer depend on oil as its primary source of income. The strategy revolves around shifting focus from oil exports towards a more sustainable form of economy that emphasizes the importance of the private sector (Jabeen and Khan 212). Relying on the oil sector significantly kills the private unit of investors in the Saudi Arabian region. Above seventy percent of the employed Saudi Arabians work in state-operated entities that depend on oil. The point that the world now embraces renewable and clean energy sources exposes the Kingdom to significant future challenges. Solar, wind, and clean electric power now form the center of global energy research, emphasizing quitting petroleum fuel dependence being very high.

The tourism sector of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is among the most prospective and potentially lucrative sectors of the nation’s economy. The development of tourism is directly tied to the private sector since the arrival of tourists will result in oil-independent sources of national income. In other words, the state, through Vision 2030, is focusing on “opening up new investment opportunities, encouraging innovation and competition, and removing obstacles preventing the private sector from playing a larger role in delivering national services” (Saudi Vision 2030). In addition, tourism is one area likely to drive growth in the country. Saudi Arabia is principally known for hosting two key events that attract millions of people worldwide. These are the Makkah and Madinah, where Hajjis and visitors go to the country to perform Hajj and Umrah annually. The Muslim community holds these two events with very high regard (Poncet). The question, therefore, remains whether Saudi Arabia has what it takes to guard its citizens and economy against the foreseen danger through the adoption of a symbolic economy.

The dissertation’s work will provide information concerning Saudi Arabia’s awareness of tapping the symbolic economy to avoid potential economic shock in the future. The nation has a vision meant to be realized by 2030, where the entertainment, media, and tourism sectors will mature to take the Kingdom to its independent future. Saudi Arabia’s economic dependence on oil makes the nation highly vulnerable to the changing global oil prices, at times affecting the Kingdom’s economy adversely (Noreng 235). A successful development of the symbolic economic subdivision will allow Saudi Arabia to avoid or reduce such adverse fiscal effects, thus making the Kingdom more sustainable. The present study will aid in appreciating Saudi Arabian’s potential in the tourism sector and the general perspective of the Kingdom’s symbolic economy. Therefore, the work will expand the existing authoritative literature that informs the nation’s strategic moves and their possibilities of succeeding. Through the present study, social scholars will appreciate the impact of specific social factors on the success of the Kingdom’s symbolic economy and the different ways to facilitate success.

Literature Review

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is highly set on the successful development of a symbolic economy in the Kingdom. The term ‘symbolic economy’ is a 1990s economic phrase meaning an economy that is different from the typical industrial or agrarian economies forming the basis of financial sustainability in the past centuries (Morgan 94). As such, the symbolic economy depends mainly on the production of symbols through national sectors such as tourism, media, and entertainment (Leó n and Breiter 301). Countries that have successfully developed symbolic economies are reliant on non-material industries, primarily international recognition, to keep their economy functioning.

The idea of a symbolic economy also looks at the country’s availability of outstanding aspects that can sell the symbolic economy to the world. Such elements include engaging sports activities, natural sceneries, and renowned broadcasting houses to test the potential of a republic to succeed (Eckhardt 15). Reviewing this topic is, thus, very crucial for the present study. The aspect will cover the role and effectiveness of Saudi Arabia’s tourist spots, the Kingdom’s premier league, age demographics, the population’s internet access, and being in a sports network in creating the anticipated symbolic economy. Arguably, covering the figurative economy subject and cultural transformations concerning Saudi Arabia will provide a better understanding of the Kingdom’s significant advantage in realizing the set vision for 2030. Ultimately, it is true that people are living in an entertainment age.

Entertainment messages, with the help of digital media technologies, have become ubiquitous. People, spurred on by globalization taking place, have opportunities available to know about entertainment opportunities all around the world and to even have a simulated entertainment experience. Research suggests that an interesting development in the traveler consumer experience is that he is no longer excited just by the idea of where to go (McKercher, Mei, and Tse, 2006). As important for him is the idea of what he will do. Therefore, destinations looking to attract tourists are offering different types of activities that can interest a potential tourist. In this regard, festival tourism has come to mark an important development in the tourism industry. A festival is a named event taking place in a particular location, and generally, different activities are centered around a central theme. There is a plethora of festivals taking place and marketed around the world by countries, both rich and poor (Eldheim, 2004). A plethora of festivals has come to be seen as a tool that can attract tourists, improves the socio-cultural atmosphere in a country or city, creates appeal, adds interest, and enhances the image of the place.

The literature also considers the reasons and motivations of the festival attendees. One distinct reason for their visiting these festivals is the search for authentic and exotic experiences. They are looking for experiences that are different from their own and help them relate to a different dimension of human experience (McKercher, Mei, and Tse, 2006). They are also looking for novelty and are pleased by the element of surprise. Excitement is another important motivation in search of which the festival-goers who traverse continents to attend these events. Escaping routine is an important consideration when they are choosing to go to a particular festival.

A festival has been defined as an event in which a number of activities centered on a specific theme take place within a defined time frame. By this temporary arrangement of activities, a critical mass of experiences is provided to the people with the hope that management would appeal to the tourists. According to Mckercher et al. (2006), destination marketing have been utilizing festival as a strong tool to market destinations for more than 20 years ago. Today many cities across the globe have shaped the image of their countries and cities by hosting festivals and important events. They do so the whole mark events large scale and high profile activities that are strongly supported and funded by their own governments for the purpose of diversifying their economy and attracting more tourists to the country, for example of cities that have utilized destination marketing to promote further city Edinburgh Scotland team worth in regional Australia and Stratford and Niagara on the lake of Ontario Canada.

An examination has been done on the role of promotion in the success of short-time festivals as a tool for promoting tourism. Examining three small festivals in Hong Kong in 2004, they found that destination promotion of festivals does not provide much boost for attendance from outside the destinations (McKercher et al., 2006). The three festivals were poorly attended, and the main reason was that there was not much promotion about them outside the place where they were held. Liszewski (1995, p.94) has proposed that the definition of tourism is a “spatial, socio-cultural and economic phenomenon, in which people voluntarily and temporarily change their place of residence for recreational and cognitive purposes, as well as in order to gain intellectual and emotional experience.”

Tourism has many great functions to attract tourist to the cities as tourism generate more income for the city government, secure more job opportunities within the tourism and entertainment sector, improve the standards of tourists and local inhabitants’ lives, and enhance the infrastructure of a city by building more hotels, offering better transportation and building better roads. However, there are dysfunctional elements or impact that tourism cause, as with the high number of tourists, there will be higher or elevated pollution in the city. Also, tourism might have a negative influence on local communities by commercializing the culture and sometimes causing disputes between residents and tourists. (Cudny, 2013). Cudny (2013) has aimed to define festival tourism as a separate branch of tourism in which the aim of the traveler is to attend the festival. He has found that festivals have assumed a significant space within the tourist geography. A festival is a crucial tool to attract more tourists to the city festival tourists are attracted by many elements. Some want to explore exotic cultures, some want to attend to the unusual atmosphere of the city, and some want to meet new people and exchange their culture and heritage.

According to Wodarczyk (2009), the following are the advantages and disadvantages of attending festival tourism:

Given that festivals have proliferated the international tourism scene, the marketing of these festivals has also received attention in the literature. Since there is competition among different hosts and different types of festivals, it is important that a particular festival and its organizers can reach out to the audience to communicate such effective messages that motivate them to choose their festival ahead of the competitors through several marketing strategies through performing marketing activities and about audience behavior towards attending events and festivals, and the city measuring brand awareness.

A brand is defined as a mark, design, or symbol that differentiates the products and services of one company from those of the others. Endzina & Luneva (2004) have looked at the issue of branding in terms of countries, which they call nation branding. Countries have started to realize that in a context where globalization is taking place and global tourism is on the rise, they need to develop certain standout features and cause people to have certain perceptions about them that differentiate them from others. This nation branding, which marks one country out of the others, has been shown to have a positive impact on the economic, cultural, and political spheres of a country. When the country starts to develop a positive brand for itself, a nation develops brands and brands and then promotes the country. Branded experiences develop a strong national brand and attract tourism, as well as bringing in economic and political benefits.

The development of tourism as a sustainable economic sector requires a deep understanding of what kind of people are likely to visit the country and their preferred activities and destinations. This knowledge will allow the Kingdom to choose the right direction for investment and boost the industry. Bokhari explains that although non-evident for Western and Asian visitors to the country, religious tourism plays a vital role in Saudi Arabia as a keeper of “Mecca and Medina, Islam’s two holiest cities” (160). Muslims currently comprise around 25% of the global population and growing, which means that religious tourism will hardly ever stop in the Kingdom in the foreseeable future.

Riyadh Season

Riyadh Season is a six-month range of entertainment events and festivals. This a citywide celebration of the city itself where the city celebrates art, culture, entertainment, and sports. There are different zones all across the city where tourists can go and explore the Riyadh Season is an initiative that was initiated by the Saudi Entertainment Commission, where it’s aimed to transform the real city into an alive and vibrant city to attract tourists from all around the world hence to change the media perception of the Kingdom to appear as a more progressive country non-religious welcoming tourists and visitors all across the world.

The 30^th season has become an annual celebration where each year, the scope and scale of activities is expanding. In 2020, the season generated around 5 billion and started offering entertainment and hospitality services as it has considered dated around 3000 activities. The activities range from theatre performances, musical concerts, arts, and cultural exhibitions, and food and beverages 12 zones were set up for multiple events (Wego Travel, 2022). Events from a BTS K- pop concerts to WWE crown jewel Cirque du Soleil to Comic Con took place in an effort to appeal to a large and diverse global audience.

Sound Storm Festival was a global celebration of music in which 200 plus artists, including global superstars such as Steve Aoki. The event went on for four days and was attended by more than 700,000 people. It was a very modern and high-tech event with a choice of eight stages presenting different artists and different types of performances. There was also a sprinkling of regional artists such as Wael Kaffouri and Nancy Ajram, and thriving local newcomer Saudi Artists. However, the main events were dominated by international superstars (MDLBEAST, 2022). Riyadh Art is an initiative that was established and led by the Royal Commission of the city of Riyadh. Their role is to develop initiatives related to the art and cultural sector to drive more tourists today off the city and attract creative artists and cultural advocates hence will lead to transforming the city into a more vibrant and live city real part program is mainly investing in more than 1000 pieces of public art to turn the city into a gallery without a wall. Many programs are in place to realize this vision; one of them is Noor Riyadh. Noor Riyadh is a city festival celebrating the art of light to be placed in light installations across the city of Riyadh.

Each installation will have a different concept and story to be told. Thirty-three city installations encompassing all forms of light art and 60 global artists from Canada, Mexico, China, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States and including 23 leading Saudi artists have been selected to display significant works of light art under the theme of ‘Under One Sky’ as a symbol of unity. The festival line-up includes international icons Daniel Buren, Carsten Höller, Ilya & Emilia Kabakov, Yayoi Kusama, Dan Flavin, and Robert Wilson, alongside Saudi artists Ahmed Mater, Lulwah Al Homoud, Ayman Zedani, Rashed AlShashai, and Maha Malluh. (Noor Riyadh, 2022). In the way of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s cultural awakening and flourishing art scene and part of Vision 2030.

The city of Riyadh has as well focused on attracting contemporary artists to the cultural and artistic scene in the Kingdom as the Kingdom is now thriving towards transforming the city of Riyadh into a hub for creatives and cultural production by hosting Bennali’s and global exhibitions. Darriyah Benniali, organized by the Ministry of Culture. The Diriyah Biennale Foundation, established in 2020 with the support of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, will organize two of Saudi Arabia’s first art biennales: this year’s Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale and a second biennale in 2022, which will focus on Islamic arts. The Biennale showcases the creative works of Saudi artists and global artists’ artworks and installations. Around a three-month-long installation exhibition was held in the district of Jax at Darriyah in which an artistic space was created for putting the installations are not sure the visitors had an opportunity to experience the Saudi talent in art and culture.

Saudi Arabia’s cultural and artistic exchange is essential in this period of unprecedented growth and development in the creative community in Saudi Arabia,” said Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Farhan. Aya Al-Bakree, CEO of the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, also commented on the key role the Foundation is playing as a mediator between the Saudi art world and the international cultural community (Diriyah Biennale, 2022). The Diriyah Formula E race was a major event of the Riyadh season. The event marked an effort towards promoting sustainable racing and, as such, attracted much attention from global media and responsible citizens and organizations. It was a three days event widely attended in which electric cars were put into the racing track. “The global electric street racing event brought together fans and motorsport enthusiasts alike, perfectly aligning with DGDA’s plans to transform Diriyah into one of the world’s greatest gathering places.

The historic town is envisioned to become an unequaled destination celebrating over three centuries of history that embodies the rich heritage of Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East, all of which is dressed in the renowned traditional Najdi architecture”. (Trade Arabia, 2022). Following up the event, they performed concerts that were performed by global performers such as Pitbull, DJ Marshmellow and regional singers such as Meryam Faris and Amro Diyab. The season aimed to provide something for everyone as far as fun and entertainment activities are concerned. The needs of the children were well catered for. Winter Wonderland provided an opportunity to experience fun and games of cold in a baking desert. It was equally attractive for the adults and the children. A safari experience was also brought to the city for the festival to provide children with an opportunity to familiarise themselves with nature from around the world. A cinema zone was established, in which some screens were dedicated to showing children’s movies and cartoons.

A final element of the season that needs a mention is the culinary choices available to the tourists. The wide variety of pop-up restaurants serving foods from around the world could be experienced in the city. In addition to the pop-up restaurants, there is also a changing scene of permanent restaurants from international chains that were integrated into the festival atmosphere. (Riyadh Season and Culture, 2022). In addition, the festival has offered around 34,700 jobs to serve and participate which has helped many Saudi local businesses to grow and took the real season as a platform to present their business concepts ranging from products and services as part of the 2030 vision realization (G World, 2021). 2019 Saudi Arabia introduced the E visa to attract more visitors to the Kingdom during the real season, as from its first year, the season has welcomed around 11.400 million tourists.

There are two ways to create a destination image. One would be through going and experiencing the desired country, and the other would be through the lens of the reporters from the mass media. The media plays a crucial role in the tourists’ decision-making, as it has the power to influence their decision by broadcasting or publishing news or stories about a certain country (Eldheim, 2004). In addition, the mass media might not paint the real image of a country, as it is more interested in boosting sales and creating a fictional image. Moreover, there are other factors that influence tourist decision-making, which could be wars, diseases, and human rights.

Excerpts from Interviews Previously Undertaken by The Researcher

“I am not fully aware of it. However, Saudi Arabia is working on improving their image globally to attract foreign investments; but still, there will be people who will find those negative things and will be highlighting them. In summary, the challenges in addition to political issues would also be country rules and regulations such as allowing alcohol, opening bars, and clubs which to a creating level is currently prohibited” Laila Alfaddagh – National Museum Director, Saudi Ministry of Culture. People should have good content to be delivered, such as the quality of museums/ hotels/ food and many more. Prices are quite high, as there are not enough hotels of quality, where there are not many alternatives, and there is high demand. Given to these tourists would rather spend their money in another place where he/she can find a place within a reasonable price range same quality of services. Another challenge: would be the need to have certified, trained tour guides that can speak different languages to communicate with international tourists. The last point; would be to improve the Kingdom’s infrastructure: roads, airports, and transportation. – Fahad alObailan – CEO of Almosafer traveling agency.

Methodology

A quantitative research survey is an absolute requirement for this investigation. In-person interviews with respondents will involve the distribution of a questionnaire, including a series of questions for the respondents to complete in their own time. When it comes to quantitative research, the most successful questions are those with no room for open-ended responses. They will provide the researcher with data that is realistic and will be utilized to uncover patterns, trends, and correlations in the data. In order to guarantee the accuracy and dependability of your findings, you will need to examine each survey question in great detail. Each question will have a distinct topic, and the reply will be given sufficient context to enable them to provide replies that are appropriate. It is going to be checked to make certain that none of the questions have anything to do with the objectives of the survey. All of the feasible responses will be taken into consideration when developing closed-ended questions as part of the research.

The survey questions will be written with the highest level of precision and specificity as is humanly achievable. The researcher is going to adjust the questions based on how much knowledge the audience has regarding the topic. The researcher will not employ any words whose meanings are hazy or open to interpretation. Instead, the researcher will communicate with them using language that is easy to comprehend. The researcher will take measures to ensure that the questions are formulated in a way that does not give preferential treatment to a particular response over others. The findings of the survey can be interpreted in a great number of different ways. To process the data and organize the findings into categories, the researcher will almost always need to make use of a software application on the computer. In addition, the data will exclude any responses that are incorrect or do not contain sufficient information. The statistical analysis will be carried out with the assistance of the SPSS computer program.

Findings

Tourism is an essential pillar of the economic growth and development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is crucial to enhance the apt promotion of socio-cultural and entertainment activities. On the one hand, engagement fosters a prominent boost in the diversification of the tourism experience among customers. On the other hand, the advocacy for Saudi Arabian cultural and entertainment engagements renders the participants recognition of social identity. Primarily, the researcher collected information from respondents within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to comprehend the foundational augmenting of culture and entertainment gaieties in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. There is an interdependent relationship between customer service satisfaction, cultural diversity, and the tourism business, mainly moderated by the advancement stages in a region.

Age Distribution among Respondents

The above figure illustrates the apt distribution of ages among the respondents. The majority of the interviewees engulfed the age bracket of 25-34 years old at 56%. The second leading age group entailed 35-45 years old, indicating 29% representation, while the 19-24 age group showed an 11% mark. Individuals with 46+ years old encapsulated 3%, as 15-18 years old personnel represented 1%. The optimal distribution of age differences contributes to understanding comparative history and modern practices promoting culture and entertainment activities.

Gender Allotment among Respondents

The above figure demonstrates the significant distribution of male and female respondents during the data collection. While the males represented 42%, the females enshrined 69%. Despite the dispensation among males and females, none of the respondents protested under the others category. Gender equality is an essential factor mainly because of its contribution to eliminating bias during the research process. Therefore, the researcher attributed the apportioning as a delimitation factor to justify the scholarly exercise’s relevance and reliability.

Marital Status among Respondents

The above figure illustrates the dynamic marital statuses among the interviewees to ensure an optimal balance within the demographic spectrum. Transcendentally, individuals representing single marital status included 48%, equivalent to their married counterparts. The divorced respondents enshrined 4%, while none of the personnel were marked as widowed or other categories. The quotient fosters an elevated comprehension and analysis regarding the effectiveness of the development of culture and entertainment activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, mainly on human behavioral response.

Occupation Status among Respondents

The diagram above demonstrates the dynamic occupational status among the interviewees. 52% of the counterparts were employees, 25% represented business owners, and 10% entailed students equivalent to non-employed personnel. The retired individuals exhibited 1% while 2% engulfed other interviewees in different professional and casual practices, such as house girls and freelancing. Primarily, the distribution fostered an in-depth evaluation of opinions and attitudes among people in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia concerning the development of culture and entertainment activities.

Nationality Status among Respondents

The above figure engraves the significant distribution of citizenship among the interviewees during data collection. Ideally, at least 87% of the respondents included Saudi Arabian citizens, while 13% represented non-Saudi Arabian citizens. Transcendentally, the researcher collects objective insights based on comparative analysis concerning the progress in the development of culture and entertainment activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Despite the focus on diversifying the overviews, a proficient concentration on Saudi Arabian citizenship reflects reliability and relevance mainly because of the imminent engagement and association with the initiative.

Residential Status among Respondents

The above figure features the interviewees’ distributive sequence of residential status in three categories. The Saudi Arabian residents constituted 70%, non-Saudi Arabian residents included 9%, and tourists enshrined 21%. Advocacy for the balanced sequence rendered the attribution and justification of the reliability quotient mainly because of the involvement of three dynamic groups. The tourist’s opinion focuses on a comparative compound regarding Saudi Arabia’s progress in culture and entertainment activities’ development and the global tourism practice. The involvement of the Saudi Arabian and non-Saudi Arabian residents play a significant role in objectively justifying the impact on social growth and development within the region.

Initial Source of Information regarding Seasons and Festivals in Saudi Arabia among Respondents

The above figure demonstrates the response frequency among the interviewees based on the first time they heard about the seasons and festivals in Saudi Arabia. The different channel media encompassed television and newspapers, outdoor advertisements, social media platforms, word of mouth, and others. Transcendentally, the percentages enshrined social media (48%), word of mouth (25%), television and newspapers (25%), and outdoor advertisements (2%). Fundamentally, different individuals attested distinctive modes of accessibility to the developmental culture and entertainment activities.

The Respondents’ Preferential Events or Location

The above figure focuses on the superior locations and events reported by the respondents in Saudi Arabia. The data indicates a profound distributional balance, that is, Riyadh Boulevard (44%), Diriyah Bienalle (7%), Mdlbeast (1%), Formula-1 (4%), Jeddah Albulad (1%), and others (43%). In the case of others, the majority of the respondents argued based on events than locations as provided in the questionnaire hence the higher mark than the rest of the categories. Essentially, the response system indicated proficiency in desires based on events than locations among the interviewees.

Impact of Festivals and Events on Respondents’ Saudi Arabian Cultural Knowledge

The figure above illustrates the distribution of opinions among the interviewees regarding the effect of festivals and events on individuals’ cultural knowledge of Saudi Arabian communities. Transcendentally, 79% agree that there is a profound impact, 10% disagree, and 11% show a lack of clarity. Primarily, the results affirm an effect based on the development of culture and entertainment activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Comparability Quotient of Saudi Arabian Festival or Season to Other Attended Events among Respondents.

Comparability Quotient of Saudi Arabian Festival or Season to Other Attended Events among Respondents

The figure above demonstrates the frequency of responses among the interviewees regarding the comparative essence of Saudi Arabian events to other attended occasions. There is a slight margin among the counterparts concerning their opinions and relativity to the consumer service experience. Ideally, 37% agree that there is a profound comparison, 49% disagree, and 14% show uncertainty regarding the differentiation and similarity indexes. The prominence fostered through the data justifies that apart from rendering an effective development structure on cultural experiences, the Saudi Arabian project attributes a unique service experience among the clients.

Positive Relationship between Customer Service Experience and Value Quotient for The Money

The figure above illustrates the distinctive opinions among the interviewees concerning the positive relationship between value for money and the customer service experience in cultural and entertainment activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 83% of the counterparts agree that the cultural and entertainment experience is worth the money value, while 17% disagree. The response system fosters an in-depth insight regarding the interdependent relationship between customer service experience and the pricing strategy for the products and services.

Analysis

There is a significant interdependent relationship between customer service experience, satisfaction, and loyalty under the spectrum of developed cultural and entertainment activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. According to the findings, one of the coherent factors that indicate success in the implementation process of the endeavors entails an average ranking of 7 on customer service experience among the respondents. Apart from the average rating, the respondents further show a proficient attachment indicating the lack of association between the product and service and different global tourism quotients. Ideally, the findings establish an apt outcome of the necessity of promoting cultural heritage and entertainment activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Cultural Diversity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is one of the best countries to visit and explore, mainly because of its dynamic features and cultural practices. The geographic location of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is in Southwest Asia and within the Arabian Peninsula and the Red Sea. It is the largest country in Arabia, and a king rules it, with a significant part of the year experiencing an extremely hot climate (Alofan et al., 2020). The kingship is hereditary, and it is the responsibility of the royal family to determine the critical governance ideologies within the country. Apart from the governance system, it is crucial for the teams visiting the country to note that the nation upholds profound policies regarding behavior and morals, especially in the public domain.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia utilizes the Sharia law and court system to enforce order within the society. Therefore, rulings in the court reflect Islamic beliefs and traditional practices. Transcendentally, it is vital for visitors to learn dynamic etiquette and social interaction codes. One of the nation’s nominal rules is that the Saudi government forbids any public display of affection, including handshakes. It is an initiative that regulates immorality hence the justification for the prohibition of alcohol consumption mainly in the public domain. Although polygamy is allowed in the country, a significant percentage of the residents formally marry through the Sharia court, and any other religious marriage ceremony is not recognized. Primarily, all policies reflect the appreciation of Muslim practices.

Therefore, it is vital to note the Islamic ceremonies and events to avoid the violation of the virtues. The conditional behavioral context is further affirmed through the developed etiquette among all dwellers and visitors during the Ramadhan period. It is essential to avoid eating in the public domain to circumvent discipline measures from the government.

In a different aspect, the dress code for women involves ensuring the covering of all body parts. An Islamic law construct ensures morality and a female visitor is not allowed into the country while traveling alone. Primarily, a woman in Saudi Arabia is inferior to a man hence the lower representation in the senior position. Transcendentally, women mainly engage in house chores and soft-core labor engagements. While traveling alone, the female visitor is mandated to present an invitation from a resident or husband in the country. The Sharia government system articulates instructions regarding the interaction between a man and a woman (Alofan et al., 2020). The law offers an allowance for secret dating, and the legal age for marriage encapsulates 18 years and above. Homosexuality, rape, and infidelity are forbidden, and disciplining measures bind the accused. There is a distinct moral code of behavior and interaction in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Cultural diversity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia focuses on Islamic practices and belief systems. Therefore, the government structure is in the Sharia spectrum and the courts. It is crucial for a visitor with a family to note that a misdemeanor is punishable in the public domain. Further, marriage and coupling are justified within the constraints of the Islamic religion. Apart from marriage, individuals are forbidden from alcohol consumption, and the country appreciates support and respect for the Islamic system. In the case of violating the legal framework, the person faces prominent disciplinary measures that include the death penalty. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the visitors to adhere to the moral code and appreciate Islamic beliefs.

One of the prominent issues during the Hajj celebration is overcrowding around the worship areas. In the case that a public health problem arises during the Hajj celebrations, it is essential to regulate the mass gatherings and the interactions. A significant percentage of the global population visits the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Hajj (Alroqi, 2017).

Therefore, the emergence of a health problem threatens global population health. It is crucial that researchers focus on the significance of the Islamic celebrations and the government’s efforts to conduct law enforcement. As a result, the research begins with evaluating the health problem and its level of impact on human health. The realization of the nature of the disease gears the development of cautionary measures to boost performance. Providing information regarding the health problem is an objective initiative that cultivates the derivation of effective measures to protect the public during the Hajj.

The establishment of objectivity in research spearheads the interdependence between the dynamic variables. The dynamic variables encompass the significance of Hajj to the Muslim population and the risks associated with the health problem. The assessment of the interdependent relationship ensures the derivation of information about the roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders (Alroqi, 2017). As a result, the researcher conducts an in-depth content analysis based on the essence of integrating the interests of the stakeholders and the prevailing health problem. The ideal objective that a researcher seeks to establish entails an inductive or deductive conclusion based on the analysis and insights from different sources, both primary and secondary.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosts a significant Islamic population annually for events such as the Hajj. Therefore, the emergence of a health problem during the Hajj poses a profound risk to the global population mainly because the attendants travel from different nations. It is paramount to establish the effect of the health problem and involve all stakeholders in developing strategies that protect human lives and promote the essential religious practice.

The Significance of Sustainable Growth and Development

There is a proficient interdependent relationship between technological advancement, intensified human activities, and the alteration of the natural environment. According to Burns et al. (2018), the emergence of technology intensified interaction between the natural environment and individuals. However, the negative implication contributed to altering nature’s aesthetic value. Ideally, it is the responsibility of key stakeholders to establish policies that regulate the exploitation of natural resources while ensuring the production of sufficient products for human consumption and satisfaction. Technology advancement is a necessary tool that improves the quotient of resource exploitation and satisfaction of the human population under the gradient of sustainability.

Over the decades, the human population increased mainly because of the optimal consumption and availability of adequate resources. In Akpoviroro and Owotutu’s (2018) research, the researchers argue that the interaction between people and nature is a system akin to a business environment. According to the researchers, proficient interaction between internal and external environmental variables renders an apt outcome concerning competence (Akpovirovo & Owotutu, 2018). Transcendentally, the relationship between nature and human beings relies on distinctive variables. One of the vital issues fostered by therelationship is deforestation, which diminishes the value. On the one hand, the increase in human population rendered deforestation to create space for settlement. On the other hand, the practice is attributed to the limitation of natural habitat for wildlife hence intensifying human-wildlife conflict among the entities. Primarily, technological advancement empowered personnel to destroy the natural environment by compromising its aesthetic value.

A different negative outcome of the interaction between technological advancement and nature is the overexploitation of non-renewable sources of energy. Gao et al. (2018) argue that the green initiative that emerged through the establishment of sustainable development goals was a necessity for promoting the protection of non-renewable natural resources. According to the researchers, the overutilization of water and fuel as sources of energy led to one consequential natural event (Gao et al., 2018). On the one hand, the overexploitation of water for hydroelectric power production negatively affected aquatic life mainly because of pollution. On the other hand, the source of fuel enshrines the trees hence the promptness in clearing trees for the sustenance of manufacturing industries. However, companies incurred lesser costs, and the process rendered reducing tree cover globally while reducing biodiversity. Notably, technological advancement formed the baseline consequence of the degradation of the pristine and aesthetic value of the natural environment.

The reduction in the tree cover and the intensified expansion of manufacturing industries played a profound role in the climatic change. Goudie (2018) depicts that the human population significantly contributed to the degradation of natural environmental value by exploiting technological tools. The research further establishes that one of the outcomes is climate change (Goudie, 2018). The concept refers to the weather patterns’ alteration causing an optimal impact on the living entities on Earth. The reduction of tree cover led to the significant emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Trees aptly use carbon dioxide for growth; however, the reduction renders the accumulation in the atmosphere. As a result, CO2 forms a layer that, apart from shielding the Earth from escaping hot air, reacts with the ozone layer. The ozone layer contributes to the protection from the penetration of dangerous sun rays into the Earth’s atmosphere. Therefore, the concentration of CO2 fosters global warming mainly because of the increased temperature and hot air in the atmosphere.

The increased presence of hot air profoundly impacts climate change due to the contribution to the melting of ice in mountains and Arctic regions. The ice melts into water, which leads to an increase in the volume of oceans and a rise in oceanic tides. Ideally, the relationship of technological advancement significantly contributes to the intensification of the domino effect toward the adept concept of climate change. Despite the adverse effects posed by technological advancement on the relationship with the natural environment, Kattumuri (2018) establishes that the solution and mediating factor to interdependence is sustainability.

Sustainability is the optimal exploitation of natural resources for the long term without compromising the aesthetic value. Kattumuri (2018) articulates that it is crucial to identify distinctive, sustainable solutions in the changing environment. The main reason engulfs the ability to incorporate mediating features complementing the vital use of the resources. An excellent example is the replacement of non-renewable natural resources with renewable natural resources. A significant paradigm shift in the manufacturing industries involved intensifying solar and nuclear energy use for machinery and household processes.

A different sustainable initiative elaborated through the sustainable development goals is the regulation of fishing and the disposal of plastics. Despite the technology providing tools for intensifying fishing activities, institutions incorporate policies that enhance the monitoring of economic activity as a formative aspect of enhancing the protection of aquatic diversity.

One of the significant issues that technology fosters in the natural environment is the intensification of the production of plastics. According to Kattumuri (2018), the use of non-biodegradables are a threat to the environment mainly because of the prevalent pollution of the aquatic environment. The research indicates that the core responsibility among counterparts encompasses incorporating measures regulating the significant use of plastics. One of the natural environments profoundly polluted by plastics is aquatic. The main reason enshrines the disposal of plastic bags and bottles in the water bodies that drain into the ocean.

Transcendentally, the technology establishes the solution to the problem by introducing biodegradable packaging materials. It is the responsibility of the relevant stakeholders to incorporate regulations attributing to the limited use of plastics to limit environmental pollution.

Technological advancement significantly contributes to the intensified improvement of the living quotient among people. One of the approaches that technology steered the amplification of peoples’ livelihood encompasses agricultural activities. According to Kumar et al. (2019), technology fostered the production of chemical fertilizers, impacting the effective growth of crops used to feed the increasing human population. The researchers indicate that chemical fertilizers intensify the agricultural production of food while improving quality. However, the environmental consequence enshrines the leakage of the chemicals into the aquatic life and the soil. Despite the benefits of chemical fertilizers, they alter the salinity and acidity levels of the soil, which significantly affects the survival of the microorganism responsible for the decomposition of biodegradable components. The solution to the pollution issue involves using fertilizers with lesser chemical composites and percentages while ensuring the regulation of their use in the agricultural sector.

A proficient advantage of technological advancement to human society is contributing to the development of a global village. Coccia and Bellito (2018) argue that technology fostered the intensification of the evolution process of human society. On the one hand, technology steered the development of empowerment tools for distinctive processes. On the other hand, computerization is attributed to the emergence of the Internet and social media networks. The Internet fostered the optimal sharing of information among people from different geographical regions. Transcendentally, a significant percentage of the communities attained insights concerning technological tools and accessibility to boost the quality of living.

Individuals exploit technological systems for particular processes with apt accuracy in modern society. Von Grunebaum and Caillois (2021) stipulate that computerization and automation of processes is a dream for distinctive human societies. The key benefit of the machinery enshrines promoting the efficacy level in the production process. Ideally, the concept further affirms Bai’s et al. (2020) insight regarding blockchain technology. Bai et al. (2020) depict that in modern society, the efficiency in accomplishing technology activities is attributed to the intersection of crucial variables to enhance competence. The entities encapsulate sustainability, business, environment, and strategy. Technology harmonizes the operability of business activities across different environmental conditions to foster sustainability as an emblem of management strategy.

The Relationship between Product and Service Diversification and Customer Service Experience in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The introduction of festivals and seasons within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia significantly contributes to the diversification of tourism products and services. Research by Ibrahim et al. (2021) establishes the incorporation of cultural and dynamic entertainment mainframe attributes to the apt improvement in the tourism business within the region. An excellent example is the demonstrated interests and relations among respondents from the findings. One of the interviewees attests that the service experience reflects a surprise element akin to the London winter wonderland. Additionally, the findings further illustrate a variation in opinions concerning the uniqueness of the practice. Essentially, the implementation of the program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a boost to the socioeconomic growth and competence across the Middle East and internationally on tourist customer satisfaction quotient.

Customer service experience is vital in amplifying a profound framework on the importance of coordination among the stakeholders. During data collection, the researcher identifies inherent variants anent to the value-worthiness of money among the respondents.

The majority of the counterparts indicate that the core reason for increased expenditure despite high prices enshrines the uniqueness and product diversity. It is a perspective that Ibrahim et al. (20210 further approve based on the necessity of integrating distinctive tourist attractions. The researchers articulate that the clientele baseline gauges the product and service worthiness through advertising strategies (Ibrahim et al., 2021). Transcendentally, it is crucial to introduce factors enhancing the use of dynamic media channels, mainly social media, television, and radio to promote tourism products. The research findings during data collection indicate that the majority of the respondents accessed the promotions through social media platforms, television, newspapers, and word of mouth. As a result, the outcomes establish the importance of intersecting the promotional media with highly competent approaches to product and service development.

Customer service experience is a multidimensional phenomenon significantly influenced by the essence of product and service diversification. One of the distinctive features to explore entails the development of a structure improving stakeholders’ participation and coordination in tourism development. Ibrahim et al. (2021) argue that the promptness in amplifying tourism activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia emanates from decreasing economic growth from oil refining and exportation. Transcendentally, the researchers indicate that product diversification plays a profound role in the mediation of sustainable economic development. The research findings demonstrate a relative association and success indicator regarding the implementation process. Ideally, the incorporation of cultural and entertainment activities within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia contributed to the identification of variant preferential locations. During the analysis, the researcher identified that the majority of the respondents prioritize events over locations, thus justifying a customized and highly competent service experience quotient. Despite the respondents showing interest in such locations as Riyadh Boulevard, Dirriyah Bienalle, Mdlbeast, Formula-1, and Jeddah Albulad, a significant percentage recall distinctive attachments and personal appeals to events.

Understanding customer service experience as a variable during culture and entertainment activities development promotes sustainability. Abuhjeeleh (2019) investigates the dynamic initiatives utilized by the Saudi Arabian government to achieve Vision 2030 goals. Within the tourism sector, the researcher notices that the main aim involves diversifying tourist activities. The approach fosters sustainability based on the optimal utilization of the available resources at a scalable rate. Research findings establish that in addition to intensifying the moneyworthiness, the intimacy with the Saudi Arabian cultural construct fosters an influx of tourists, as evident from the statistical analysis. The research results indicate that the prominent factor attributing to sustainability encompass demographic diversity and natural resource exploitation. Although Ibrahim et al. (2021) advocate for establishing additional tourist destinations and attraction elements, the scholars agree that promoting cultural practices fosters prominent and positive effects. The core paradigm shift entails amplifying the customer service experience within the spectrum of product and service diversity on short- and long-term outlines.

The Relationship between Customer Satisfaction and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Arabian government proficiently upholds the sustainability initiative within the growth and developmental frameworks. Transcendentally, Habibi (2019) focuses on theVision 2030 is a balance sheet, especially regarding tourism activities. The researcher appreciates the incorporation of cultural and entertainment activities mainly because of the imminent diversity (Habibi, 2019). Over the decades, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia optimized pilgrimage as the core tourist activity involving the visitation of Muslims globally visiting Mecca. Despite the religious significance, the endeavor fostered optimal consequences to the socio-ecological environment due to the congestion. However, incorporating cultural and entertainment practices within the tourism mainframe contributes to the distribution of entities and tourists across dynamic regions. An excellent example is a cultural event planning in Riyadh and Diriyah Bienalle on different dates. The approach renders the product and service diversity among the tourists based on the variety of consumptive baselines. The implementation of a tourism program on cultural and entertainment facets in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia plays a crucial role in the decongestion of the tourist population across the region. Habibi (2019) depicts that the interim balance sheet in the scope of tourism development entails the incorporation of methodologies reducing the populace percentage of visitations while enhancing an optimal trickle-down effect of accrued benefits. An excellent illustration is a comparative quotient on the ideological regions the respondents in the research affirm as the next destinations. During data collection, the researcher notices that at least 93% of the interviewees plan to visit other Saudi Arabian cultural tourist destinations to intensify the service experience. On the one hand, the respondents argue the pricing of tourism commodities is high compared to other global destinations. In a different spectrum, the interviewees establish that the worthiness of money is prominent in other international regions. Transcendentally, the introduction of cultural and entertainment events and festivals emerges as a sustainable solution for boosting the tourism business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Customer satisfaction is a mediatory factor in the paradigm shift concerning the development of cultural and entertainment activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In the study by Alotaibi (2021), the scholar identifies inbound tourism as a prominent factor in elevating the business and return on investment of major entities. The main argument lies in understanding the essence of distributing the accrued benefits. The intersection of cultural and entertainment activities within the routine practices among Saudi Arabian residents and non-residents attributes to the interest build-up in inbound tourism. Understanding an individual’s socio-cultural background plays a vital role in the development of social identity.

As a result, the participation of Saudi Arabians in the tourism program proficiently impacts self-realization and appreciation of traditional and conceptual origins. In the research findings, there is an apt relation between the frequency of Saudi Arabian citizenship, residency, and indebtedness to attaining cultural knowledge. The respondents agree that apart from amusement, the personalities seek further insights regarding the Saudi Arabian heritage.

The customization of service experience yields intensified satisfaction and loyalty, mainly under the overview of comparative inbound and outbound tourism. Alshammari et al. (2019) postulate that there is a profound gender disparity in the distribution of inbound tourism frequency among Saudi Arabians. Akin to the research findings, the majority of the female respondents actively affirmed the association between the cultural experience with childhood memories of visiting different regions. Customer satisfaction attributes to the alignment of loyalties concerning participation in local tourism activity. The advocacy for inbound tourism on cultural and entertainment activities enhances the interaction and exchange of knowledge among the Saudi Arabian, enriching the heritage. Ibrahim et al. (2021) further acclaim that it is the responsibility of the Saudi Arabian government to ensure the proficient proclamation of dynamic heritage sites. The initiative plays a crucial role in promoting diversity and prestige among the residents and nationalities on demographic diversity.

The Relationship between Customer Loyalty and the Development of Cultural and Entertainment Activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The core mandate of promoting customer loyalty encapsulates customizing the service experience quotient within the multidimensional phenomenon of cultural and entertainment activities. Alotaibi (2021) postulates that the preferential baselines among youths in the tourism business in Saudi Arabia involve the promotion of inbound activities. Apart from enhancing unity among the citizens and residents, the program attributes to the prevention of acculturation incidences. A significant percentage of local cultures encounter a major threat under the paradigm of commercialization and commodification hence eventually losing their meaning and relevance. Therefore, Alotaibi (2021) depicts that the core mandate among the stakeholders encompasses implementing policies ensuring the boost in the heritage against the capitalistic consequence upon the traditional cultures. One of the crucial entities of culture and entertainment activities enshrines the retention of a prominent aesthetic value. Ideally, intersectionality focuses on an apt necessity of amplifying youths’ participation and the elderly towards promoting the intergenerational transfer of cultural knowledge.

The primary customer loyalty attribute involves the promotion of an aesthetic value quotient leading to a unique customer service experience. Transcendentally, Alotaibi (2021) and Abuhjeeleh (2019) concentrate on the profound essence of integrating initiatives on interdependence to advocate for product and service diversity. Tourism is an emblem of Saudi Arabia’s economy, mainly because of the diminishing returns. Transcendentally, it is crucial to establish the core foundational element of customer loyalty features. On one spectrum, the research findings articulate that the respondents encounter distinctive surprise features during the cultural and entertainment activities experienced in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. An alternate perspective enshrines an articulation of client feedback and relativity to the advertising media channels. The core mandate among the relevant stakeholders engulfs adeterminant concept upon improving the customization features of cultural practices.

Different tourist destination sites feature distinctive service experiences among tourists. During data collection, a significant percentage of respondents’ feedback enshrines complaints about the high pricing of commodities and services. The analysis justifies the prominent impact on the essence of involving the government and the public in the implementation process of the tourism program. The lack of coherence leads to the unsustainable exploitation of resources and opportunities, negatively affecting consumers’ loyalty index. Habibi’s (2019) interim balance sheet focuses on the establishment of features, such as promotional heritage sites, formalizing cultural events and festivals, and integrating the norms within the governance system and structure. Intensifying inbound against outbound tourism fosters the profound exchange of value and financial benefits within the Saudi Arabian community. As a result, the international society identifies the coherent value quotient of Saudi Arabian cultural and entertainment activities based on authenticity and aestheticism.

According to Jasmine Barker – an Arab News journalist, in the past previous 2030 vision, the media was seen as an enemy in the Kingdom as they were not allowed to cover many events given to the sacred city of the Saudi community. However, within the lounge of the 2030 Vision, many changes have happened in the local and regional media, and it is said the public is no longer scared of the media and armor cooperating with the press. In addition to that, within the development of media and the Kingdom, artists and participants are more willing to be profiled and the pages of paper because they see that media is a crucial tool in which their narratives and perspectives can be amplified. In terms of the cultural and creative landscape, Barker has stated that there has always been a constant creative community in KSA. The difference is now they are able to talk about it openly on the record as the government of Saudi Arabia wants to send a message through the power of media to change the world’s perception of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The media strategy has changed a bit over the years, and researchers are seeing more extensive campaigns and their coverage reaching the world. For example, using regional and global faces to lead campaigns, such as artists and football players. Also, in the cultural sector, one can see hosted international shows to attract visitors from outside the region.

Furthermore, academic researcher Hayfa AlQahtani who is a cultural advocate as well has confirmed that no event can reach and spread without media coverage as they have witnessed more interaction and interest in the Kingdom over the past few years due to the power of media. She has stated that “Media has played a significant role in attracting more tourists in the Kingdom; related to our presence as Saudis on social media platforms, and each age group has its preferred platform. Specialists are more present on Twitter and blogs, and young people in their early twenties are on Tik Tok and Snapchat, and so on. Individuals are transmitting the images of our daily lives, details, and ideas and broadcasting them to the world. Any tourist who wants to know the region before visiting it will discover our lives through these platforms”. Moreover, the researcher has continued to comment that there is a healthy movement of products within the creativity aspect. The study helps in learning how to create, consume and criticize in the same way. A lot of projects seem copied or imported from the global scene, but people are getting procedures right. Our identity & uniqueness will show with time. In addition, the cultural scene has changed severely, as there is now more variety of cultural events diversity in arts than previously. Annual book fair in Riyadh, and a couple of art galleries and cultural shows at local museums. Today the calendar is packed year-round! One can attend a musical in the evening and a book launch the next morning. And it’s not just the main cities. It Is healthy and promising.

Conclusion

Saudi Arabia is positioning itself strategically as a potentially attractive global destination in light of the continued expansion of the travel and tourism sectors worldwide. The research provides answers to important research questions and paints a picture of the country’s progress and transformation of the travel and tourism sector in line with its Vision 2030. This is done while taking into account the country’s one-of-a-kind position and characteristics, as well as its economic power and international alliances.

The response to the first study question may be that the level of acceptance that a tourist transformation program receives on a local, national, and worldwide scale has an effect on the degree to which it is effective and the length of time that it remains in effect. The findings of the study indicate a high percentage of positive sentiment, a neutral percentage, and a low percentage of negative sentiment. Hence, indicating that society is on board with or accepting of the initiatives for the reform of tourism. The significant percentage of individuals who do not have a strong preference for either way gives rise to the second study question, which inquires about the rate at which religious tourism is transforming into a regional entertainment hub that features a variety of religious and secular tourism events. A case study was conducted by Alotaibi (2021) to investigate the reasons Saudis travel within their own country. In their research, they came to the conclusion that “cultural and religious aspects are the most important push and pull factors from the point of view of Saudi visitors” (Alotaibi, 2021). The essence of this finding has not changed despite the fact that it was uncovered quite some time ago.

The younger generation of Saudis appears to have a greater interest in forms of entertainment that are produced in other countries. It would appear that this is causing a shift in the objectives and priorities of the Saudi tourism industry. During the course of the last three years, the government has introduced a number of significant new laws and regulations. Some examples include the introduction of an electronic visa, the relaxation of dress codes and gender segregation, the removal of restrictions on the ability of women to travel and drive, the commencement of outdoor musical performances, and the construction of new locations for amusement and relaxation. The last inquiry was about the most significant challenges currently confronting the travel and tourism sector in Saudi Arabia.

Following are the most important takeaways from an analysis of the relevant research as well as the findings of the study: 1) In order to ensure that expansion is both organic and sustainable, the government needs to strike a healthy balance between westernizing the tourism business and preserving the culture and religion of the local population. This is necessary to ensure that growth is sustainable. This is evidenced by the negative and neutral feelings, which show that some people do not like the new tourism strategy or have not decided whether or not they like it yet. This is shown by the fact that some people have not decided whether or not they like it yet. 2) Despite the fact that things are going well and the number of Saudi tourists leaving the nation is decreasing, the majority of people who travel to Saudi Arabia do so for religious purposes. This particular argument demonstrates that the tourism business of the country is still considered to be founded on religion. Since of this factor, the industry is in a difficult position because it must determine whether to sell itself as a destination for those seeking religious experiences or as a place where people may have fun in a manner that is more comparable to that of the West. The fluctuating price of oil is still the country’s most significant economic challenge, but it has assisted the nation in developing new sites and projects that may be enjoyed for recreation and leisure. It is possible that the future of the company is unclear and that its success may be contingent on a consistent flow of money from oil money, participation from both the public and commercial sectors and direct investment from other countries.

Challenges and Future Recommendations

Even though the Application Programming Interface (API) for research that was utilized in this work is the first one that has a good understanding of Arabic text, there is still potential for development. For instance, the application programming interface (API) does not currently have the capability to interpret emoticons, which are a significant component of how people communicate and participate on social networking platforms. An increasingly popular method for investigating the hospitality and tourist industries is known as sentiment analysis. A selection at random from the available data revealed that some of the comments contained satirically favorable undertones. Since many respondents do not state where they are from, it may be difficult to differentiate between visitors from other countries and local tourists using the information extraction tool. However, since many respondents do not state where they are from, it is possible to find out where the information was sent from.

The most significant issue that emerges with any and all types of surveys is the problem of respondents who do not respond. When compared to surveys that were obtained from a random sample of the community, surveys that used targeted samples had a considerably lower percentage of people who did not respond to the survey. When people are able to use respondent lists from surveys, it makes it a lot easier for them to work together on projects (such as the members of an organization). The response rate might be anywhere from 20% all the way up to 75%, depending on the people who are being surveyed and the information that is being sought by the survey.

The number of people who did not reply to in-person surveys was much lower when compared to the percentage of people who did not react to other types of surveys. In-person surveys often receive more funding than their digital equivalents and come with extra benefits, such as thorough training for interviewers, regular meetings, and cash incentives. In addition, in-person surveys typically have a higher response rate. Keeping in touch with a large number of people is made more challenging by a number of variables, one of which is the fact that adults spend less time at home, which is one of the reasons why this is the case. In order to maintain interviewers at a safe distance from the folks with whom they are speaking, other approaches, such as gated communities, were also deployed. Individuals continue to be able to effectively engage with one another and work productively through the use of interviews that are performed in person because these interviews continue to be effective.

The government should continue to fund a considerable quantity of studies into the factors that contribute to field survey nonresponse and should also undertake a significant number of in-person surveys in future research that is being conducted because the government has a lot of experience with in-person surveys, statistical modeling that takes into account people who do not answer has reached a good level. This is important because these data are essential for developing policy. However, a number of academics and corporations do not make use of these models because they lack the essential technical skills to do so.

In spite of the fact that it is currently going through certain difficulties, survey research is still a highly important subject to discuss. However, contrary to what you would expect, the quality of the survey data is not severely damaged by the issues that are mentioned in this study. These worries could have an impact either in the short term or in the long run. The vast majority of the approaches utilized in the administration of surveys are normally able to acquire trustworthy samples. This is owing to the fact that those who are responsible for conducting surveys have a considerable amount of knowledge regarding the operation of the sampling process.

The most challenging aspect is going to be ensuring that the sampling frames are complete enough to cover everything. Researchers will have a better opportunity to strengthen sample frames for a wide variety of surveys as a result of improvements made to the process of building up large-scale databases over the next few years. These enhancements are expected to be made over the course of the next few years. At least one sample company, for example, obtains demographic information and email addresses of its customers in order to use this information as a sampling frame for online surveys. The purpose of this information gathering is to better serve the company’s consumers. This information may be located in the client database maintained by the company.

Bibliography

Berchtold André. “Treatment and Reporting of Item-Level Missing Data in Social Science Research.” International Journal of Social Research Methodology, vol. 22, no. 5, 2019, pp. 431–439., Web.

Demir, Firat, and Hyeonjin Im. “Effects of Cultural Institutes on Bilateral Trade and FDI Flows: Cultural Diplomacy or Economic Altruism?” World Economy, vol. 43, no. 9, 2020, pp. 2463–2489. EBSCOhost, Web.

Eckhardt, Giana M. “Marketing in the Sharing Economy.” Journal of Marketing, vol. 83, no. 5, 2019, pp. 5–27. EBSCOhost, Web.

Edelheim, J. (2004). Effects of negative media events on tourist’s decisions. International Tourism and Media Conference.

González Fernández and Silvia María. “The Role of the Cultural and Creative Industries in Cultural Diplomacy and Soft Power between China and the European Union.” Janus.Net: E-Journal of International Relations, vol. 12, no. 1, 2021, pp. 31–61. EBSCOhost, Web.

León, Molina, and A Breiter. “Co-Creating Visualizations: A First Evaluation with Social Science Researchers.” Computer Graphics Forum, vol. 39, no. 3, 2020, pp. 291–302.,Web.

Martineau, Joé T. “Partnering with Patients in Healthcare Research: A Scoping Review of Ethical Issues, Challenges, and Recommendations for Practice.” BMC Medical Ethics, vol. 21, no. 1, 2020, p. 34. EBSCOhost, Web.

McKercher, B., Mei, W. S., & Tse, T. S. (2006). Are short duration cultural festivals tourist attractions? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 14(1), 55-66.

Morgan, Lorraine. “Share and Share Alike: How Inner Source Can Help Create New Digital Platforms.” California Management Review, vol. 64, no. 1, 2021, pp. 90–112. EBSCOhost, Web.

Noreng, Øystein. “Evolving U.S., Russian, and Chinese Energy Policies: Implications for Gcc Oil.” Journal of Energy & Development, vol. 45, no. 2, 2020, pp. 227–258. Web.

Nwanzu, Chiyem Lucky, and Ambrose C. Mbanefo. “Literature Review in Degree-Driven Research Work: A Call for Desired Level of Attention.” IFE PsychologIA, vol. 25, no. 1, 2017, pp. 366–377. Web.

Thilakaratne, Menasha. “A Systematic Review on Literature-Based Discovery: General Overview, Methodology, & Statistical Analysis.” ACM Computing Surveys, vol. 52, no. 6, 2020, pp. 1–34. EBSCOhost.

Jabeen, Ismat, and Aalia Mehar Khan “Planning for Transformation: A Semantic-Grammatical Based Discourse Analysis of Saudi Vision 2030.” Arab World English Journal, vol. 11, no. 3, 2020,pp. 212–225, Planning for Transformation: A Semantic-Grammatical Based Discourse Analysis ofSaudi Vision 2030 (researchgate.net).

Poncet, Sacha. “Could Saudi Arabia Become the Next Tourism Leader in the Middle East?” EHL Insights, Web.

Alsumairi, Mohammad, and Kan Wai Hong Tsui. (2017). A case study: The impact of low-cost carriers on inbound tourism of Saudi Arabia. Journal of Air Transport Management 62: 129-145.

Bokhari, Abla Abdul Hameed. (2021). The Economics of Religious Tourism (Hajj and Umrah) in Saudi Arabia. Research Anthology on Religious Impacts on Society. IGI Global, 148-168.

Daye, Ali S. (2019). Rising tourism in Saudi Arabia: implications for real estate investment. Cornell Real Estate Review 17(1): 22.

Mansour, Mourad, and Alhassan G. Mumuni. (2019). Motivations and attitudes toward domestic tourism in Saudi Arabia. European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation 9(1): 27-37.

Poncet, Sacha. “Could Saudi Arabia Become the Next Tourism Leader in the Middle East?” EHL Insights, Web.

Wego Travel, 2022. Riyadh Season 2021: Everything You Need to Know *Updated January 2022* – Wego Travel Blog. [online] Wego Travel Blog. Web.

G World, 2021. Analysis of the indicators of the external strengths of the City of Riyadh. Riyadh: G World.

MDLBEAST, 2022. MDLBEAST SOUNDSTORM Attracts Global Audience of Over 700,000 In Blockbuster Second Year – EDM.com – The Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists. [online] EDM.com – The Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists. Web.

Noor Riyadh, 2022. Magnificent light and art festival ready to launch in Riyadh with spectacular installations by more than 60 international artists. [online] Prnewswire.co.uk. Web.

Diriyah Biennale, 2022. Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale to open in Riyadh this December. [online] Whats On Saudi Arabia. Web.

Riyadh Season, R. and Culture, R., 2022. Riyadh Season 2022: The Annual Festival To Celebrate Pop Culture. [online] Zamzam Blogs. Web.

Trade Arabia, 2022. Diriyah’s bid to develop tourism boosted by Formula E. [online] Tradearabia.com. Web.

Cudny, W., 2022. FESTIVAL TOURISM – THE CONCEPT, KEY FUNCTIONS AND DYSFUNCTIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF TOURISM GEOGRAPHY STUDIES. GEOGRAFICKÝ ČASOPIS / GEOGRAPHICAL JOURNAL, 65(2).

LISZEWSKI, S. (1995). Przestrzeń turystyczna. Turyzm, 5, 87-103.

Endzina, I., & Luneva, L. (2004). Development of a national branding strategy: The case of Latvia. Place Branding, 1(1), 94 –105.

Abuhjeeleh, M. (2019) ‘Rethinking tourism in Saudi Arabia: Royal vision 2030 perspective’. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 8(5), pp.1-16.

Akpoviroro, K. S. and Owotutu, S. O. (2018) ‘Impact of external business environment on organizational performance’. International Journal of Advance Research and Innovative Ideas in Education, 4(3), pp. 498-505.

Alofan, F., Chen, S. and Tan, H. (2020) ‘National cultural distance, organizational culture, and adaptation of management innovations in foreign subsidiaries: a fuzzy set analysis of TQM implementation in Saudi Arabia’. Journal of Business Research, 109, pp. 184-199.

Alotaibi, N.B. (2021) ‘Youth attitudes towards the economic and social impacts of inbound tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education (TURCOMAT), 12(7), pp. 451-458.

Alroqi, H. M. (2017) Perceptions of the community toward the nursing profession and its impact on the local nursing workforce shortage in Riyadh. Doctoral dissertation. Anglia Ruskin University. Web.

Alshammari, F., Whaley, J., Hur, S. and Kim, Y.K. (2019) ‘Gender differences in motivations to attend festivals in Saudi Arabia’. International Hospitality Review, 33(4), pp. 126-141.

Bai, C. A., Cordeiro, J. and Sarkis, J. (2020) ‘Blockchain technology: business, strategy, the environment, and sustainability’. Business Strategy and the Environment, 29(1), pp. 321-322.

Burns, T. J., Hekmatpour, P. and Speer, K. C. (2018) ‘Human Interaction with the Natural Environment: the POETICAS Model as a Framework for Understanding and Praxis in Late Modernity’. International Journal of environment and Climate Change, 8(3), pp. 234-68.

Coccia, M. and Bellitto, M. (2018) ‘Human progress and its socioeconomic effects in society’. Journal of Economic and Social Thought, 5(2), pp. 160-178.

Gao, Y., Tsai, S. B., Xue, X., Ren, T., Du, X., Chen, Q. and Wang, J. (2018) ‘An empirical study on green innovation efficiency in the green institutional environment’. Sustainability, 10(3), p. 724.

Goudie, A. S. (2018) Human impact on the natural environment. John Wiley & Sons.

Habibi, N. (2019) ‘Implementing Saudi Arabia’s vision 2030: an interim balance sheet’. Middle East Brief, 127, pp. 1-9.

Ibrahim, A.O., Baqawy, G.A. and Mohamed, M.A.S. (2021) ‘Tourism attraction sites: boasting the booming tourism of Saudi Arabia’. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 8(4), pp. 1-11.

Kattumuri, R. (2018) ‘Sustaining natural resources in a changing environment: evidence, policy and impact’. Contemporary Social Science, 13(1), pp. 1-16.

Kumar, R., Kumar, R. and Prakash, O. (2019) Chapter-5 The impact of chemical fertilizers on our environment and ecosystem. Chief Editor, 35, p. 69.

Von Grunebaum, G. E. and Caillois, R. (Eds.). (2021) The dream and human societies. University of California Press.