Tourism In Saudi Arabia And Its Future Development

The Middle East is relatively undeveloped as a tourist region, but future growth is anticipated and Saudi Arabia provides an interesting case study of a country which has recently moved to begin to exploit its untapped potential as a destination. After a brief review of tourism in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia in order to set the scene, this paper reports on the results of an independent effort to forecast aspects of the future of the Saudi Arabian tourism industry based on the deliberations of two independent Delphi panels. The methodology is explained and factors identified as likely to have an impact on tourism in Saudi Arabia are assessed. The implications of these changing circumstances for the planning and marketing of Saudi Arabian tourism are discussed in a final section. Opportunities ahead are highlighted, but the constraints to be overcome are also recognized.