Determinants of Tourism Competitiveness in Emerging Tourists’ Destinations in the Arab Region: the Case of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Gulf countries are witnessing unprecedent economic challenges to address the sharp decline on oil demand due to the drop in international commerce and transportations because of Covid-19 Pandemic crisis. This paper examines the roles of tourism authorities in the Arab region in managing and marketing tourists’ destinations drawing upon the case of Saudi Arabia. The later represents a special case worth of study because it is undergoing a transition from purely religious to leisure tourism phases. This situation has prompted the author’s attention to answer several questions such as what are tourism competitiveness indicators of the country, how its tourism sector is governed and equiped with qualified personnel , and how Saudi Arabia is marketed as a leisure destination? To answer these questions, the paper starts with identifying the determinants of tourism competitiveness through the review of literature. In addition it conducted a quantitative analysis of Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) to stand on the comparative competitive position of the country with fifteen well established tourists’ destinations in the region. Secondary data was supplemented by face-to-face interviews and online surveys. A purposive sample of one hundred and twenty employees working in the Saudi Tourism Authority in Riyadh specializing in marketing, human resources and information systems was selected from six hundreds officials working in the authority. Data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 22. The results indicated three levels of tourism performances as low, average and good in Saudi Arabia. Main gaps were identified and a suggested framework was proposed to address them.