Chapter 1: Introduction
Eco tourism in Imam Turki bin Abdullah Natural reserve (services). From an ecotourism perspective, the authority seeks to make the reserve a unique destination for visitors by taking advantage of its attractions (The Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority, 2022) The entertainment and cultural festival organized by the Development Authority of the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve for the people of the area, visitors, and tourists, for which a group of historical tours and various entertainment shows are organized for the visitors.
The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve supports Vision 2030, particularly the goal of Saudi Arabia to be an ambitious and effectively managed country by protecting our most vital assets, by increasing global tourism and by developing and improving domestic tourism (The Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority, 2022). As Relying on the existence of natural reserves as tourist areas that attract tourists from other countries to visit the Kingdom in order to see them, and this in turn provides young people with many opportunities to work in the field of tourism (Nasser, 2022). Moreover, Saudi Vision 2030 aims to protect and enhance the natural environment in the Kingdom, Additionally, it aims to promote sustainable agriculture methods across the Kingdom, which helps in giving citizens and residents access to nutritious local foods while maintaining the water cycle, regeneration of biodiversity (“A Sustainable Saudi Vision,” 2022).
Imam Turki bin Abduallah royal natural reserves, was a superb opportunity to be trained in. People have to know more about the eco-tourism treasures that Saudi Arabia have which one of these destinations is the royal natural reserve. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is known for its varied and exceptional natural heritage, which includes wet, desert, and coastal areas in addition to many types of landmarks, landscapes, animals, and wildlife. This natural heritage provides one of the most important sustainable economic resources for the tourism industry (“Minsitry of tourism,” 2022). Therefore, promoting these beautiful areas and places within our country may be a clear leap in this field
The overall goal of this project is to introduce the winter festival in natural reserve in order to target local and international tourists to visit the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority.
The main research question developed to achieve this objective is:
Why do local and international tourists choose to do eco-tourism outside of Saudi Arabia?
X sub research questions are developed to answer the main research question. These research sub questions are listed in table 1 below:
Table 1: Research Sub Questions
RQ1.1
What eco-tourism destinations that the local people in Saudi Arabia look for?
RQ1.2
What activities does ecotourism offer to tourists and local people?
RQ1.3
What makes people attracted to visit natural reserve for eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia?
To answer the above questions,
The research methodology that will be applied in conducting this study is qualitative research. Qualitative research refers to the research methodology in which non-numerical data is collected and analyzed to understand various concepts and perspectives comprehensively (Bhandari, 2020). Therefore, since this research will be primarily focused on the experiences of the targeted population and analyzing their perspectives on ecotourism, the use of qualitative research will be an appropriate approach (Bhandari, 2020). This research methodology has also been established to emphasize preserving the study participants’ ideas and views. This aspect will be of much importance in this research because the experiences voiced by the participants will mirror how much the people of Saudi Arabia know about ecotourism and how much they think this aspect impacts both domestic and international tourists.
For the research methods, interviews and focus groups will be used. Interviews entail the researcher personally asking the study participants questions in in-person conversations. In this research, semi-structured interviews will be used. These interviews are more structured and flexible (Fauvelle, 2020). This form of the interview will be used because it will provide an extensive ground to collect more information on the participants’ opinions and comments regarding eco-tourism. Additionally, these interviews often give the respondents an opportunity to deepen the discussion on specific points that the researcher might not have identified during preparation for the study.
Besides that, semi-structured interviews are effective in cases where the research is more of an exploratory nature. In this research, the research question revolves around the tourists’ understanding of eco-tourism and how this aspect is important to them. Therefore, by using the semi-structured interviews, the participants are open to presenting their perceptions and knowledge of eco-tourism hence helping in the robust expansion of knowledge on this subject (George, 2022). Additionally, due to this element and the ability to ask the participants follow-up questions, this interview will help increase the richness of data collected in this research.
The sample size of research refers to the specific people that are selected from the chosen study population whom data will be collected from (McCombes, 2019). For this research, one of the non-probability sampling methods will be used. Non-probability sampling refers to the sampling method where the sample size of a study is selected using non-random criteria (McCombes, 2019). The rationale for this selection is that this type of sampling is often considered effective when conducting qualitative research because it allows the researcher to select a sample based on their judgment and the expert knowledge of these people regarding the research topic (Nikolopoulou, 2022). In this case, the research will be conducted to understand the importance of eco-tourism among Saudi Arabia’s domestic and international tourists. Therefore, this sampling method will help the people that are rich in information on eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia.
Therefore, for the effective selection of a sample that will be rich in information regarding eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia, the purposive non-probability sampling method will be specifically used. With respect to this, the sample size will be selected based on the participant’s knowledge of eco-tourism and its importance in Saudi Arabia. The target population is all people aware of eco-tourism, what it is, and the various places of eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia. This population will contain people above 22 years of age who are tourists, both domestic and international. Both male and female tourists will be incorporated into the research. They should also have toured a minimum of three eco-tourism sites in Saudi Arabia in the past 5 years. The sample size aimed to be met is 12, with 6 domestic and 6 international tourists. This sample size will reflect the population of the study, which is tourists that know about eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia.
This Paper is comprised of 8 chapters,
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Chapter 3: Methodology (past) why and what
3.1 logic of inquire (qualitative past)
3.2 Methods and analysis procedure (semi-instructors) Thematic
3.3 sampling (two interviews type) what other people did what I did and why past works
3.4 methodological limitations of semi-
3.5 Ethical consideration – consult forms
Chapter 4: Data analysis and results
Chapter 5: Campaign Strategy
5.1 Introduction + problem
5.2 Research insight
5.3 Target audiance + personas
5.4 Competition analysis
5.5 Campaign strategy
5.6 Media plan: how the budget will be divided + the used media (social media including posters and video, outdoor, mobile marketing, email marketing, promotional) how much you will pay for each and the time will be posted
Execution: script of the video plus the copy
Chapter 6: Execution Plan
6.1 Script
6.2 copy
Chapter 7: Conclusion
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Ecotourism in Saudi Arabia
Tourism industry in Saudi Arabia places a premium on protecting and reviving the local ecosystem, and it does so through funding grandiose projects that mix luxury accommodation with environmental protection. The monarchy is preparing to welcome ecotourists and other nature lovers from all over the globe. Outdoor recreation spots in Saudi Arabia and associated activities would surely improve the country’s tourism sector, which aims to attract 100 million annual tourists by 2030 (Said & Haythem, 2017). The goal is to save natural areas while simultaneously launching initiatives that will modernize the look of the city via the addition of vegetation and other means.
Despite Saudi Arabia’s historical association with the oil sector, the country’s government is currently putting considerable effort into a number of ecotourism projects. The primary aims of Saudi Arabia’s ecotourism industry are as follows:
The Lessening of the Effects of an Impact: The increasing popularity of environmentalism in Saudi Arabia will help reduce the negative effects on the environment caused by the country’s burgeoning tourist industry. To lessen the negative effects of tourism, the administration of Saudi Arabia plans to make more use of sources of renewable energy and improve trash management.
Second, the ecotourism initiative in Saudi Arabia is designed to benefit the planet in a measurable way. The government plans to put a portion of Ecotourism’s earnings toward protecting the environment.
According to Said & Haythem, (2017), vision 2030 is Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plan to lessen its dependency on oil, and one of its tenets is a rise in ecotourism. The goal is to double the current contribution of tourism to the country’s GDP by 2030.
Challenges in International Tourism
Recent research by Nat, (2022) detailed the expansion of Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector and pointed out the challenges the country has in attracting foreign tourists. In order to attract tourists, Saudi Arabia has begun loosening some of its more stringent traditional regulations.
Ecotourism is popular among both domestic and foreign visitors, yet many avoid Saudi Arabia because of negative public perception. One of the most significant barriers to foreign tourists visiting Saudi Arabia is the country’s image outside. Many reforms have been enacted to modernize the monarchy, including allowing unmarried people to have a room together and making the abaya obligatory for women. According to Kamran Khan, general manager of AIM Restaurants Consulting and Advertising, “there is a lot of talk about Saudi Arabia about loosening some of its laws and limitations, and being here, we can see things shifting to expose the nation for more tourists” (Nat, 2022) Many recent initiatives demonstrate the government of Saudi Arabia’s dedication to expanding the country’s tourist industry. The research, however, warns that even with these improvements, more has to be done before the nation can hope to attract tourists from outside. The analysis concludes that tourist will continue to rise as time goes on and many other rules are loosened. The research applauds Saudi Arabia’s recent and planned reforms, which will make the country a more well-known tourist destination abroad.
Second, owing to infrastructure, both domestic and foreign visitors choose to perform eco-tourism outside of Saudi Arabia. The research also suggests that the country’s lack of adequate infrastructure is another obstacle it must overcome. The paper states that although major cities like Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam have excellent transportation links, less populated regions of Saudi Arabia have more room for development. “One of the major challenges to [increasing international tourism] is that infrastructures on the ground is absolutely new and restricted,” said Oliver Martin, partner of Twenty31 Consulting Inc (Nat, 2022). The majority of Saudis probably only know Arabic, therefore it might be difficult for them to communicate with foreign customers while trying to promote Saudi Arabia as a destination for tourists of all faiths. Human capital is just as important to Saudi Arabia as its physical infrastructure and organizational prowess. The research emphasizes the need of the kingdom making an effort to increase the diversity of skill sets within its hospitality workforce.
Travel Complexities
The other key problem as to why local and international tourists choose to do eco-tourism outside of Saudi Arabia is due to the Complexities of visiting the country as a foreigner. To enter the country, a visa was required either for official business or for religious pilgrimage sites to Mecca. The mutawa (religious police) imposed strict regulations on public display of affection between members of different sexes, loud music, and excessive cosmetics. After Muhammad bin Salman become Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia in 2017, reforms to these laws were initiated as part of Saudi Vision 2030, an initiative to restructure the kingdom and lessen its dependency on oil income (Said & Haythem, 2017). He abolished the mutawa and allowed women to get their first driving licences. In fact, theaters were constructed, global concerts were conducted, and tourists from 49 nations, including the United States, were granted tourist visas.
As a result of these reforms, young Saudis now have more opportunities than ever to mingle with international tourists and locals in formerly segregated public venues, making this an exhilarating period in the Country. The Department of Tourism has launched a global advertising campaign using pictures of the “new Saudi Arabia,” as part of a scheme to spend at least $750 billion on road infrastructure and developing new townships by 2030 (Said & Haythem, 2017).
The future of International Tourism in Saudi Arabia
As part of its plan to achieve Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is ushering in a brand-new age of tourism and leisure (Said & Haythem, 2017). Saudi Arabia is positioned itself to become one of the major attractions and leisure locations in the Middle East by experiencing its cities and tourism locations, which include various magnificent shoreline sites and unique historical regions. The entertainment industry plays a vital role in the growth of the city’s economy since it is a component of the third basic part of the economy (the services industry), which helps to diversify revenue streams, boost annual GDP, and encourage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and foreign direct investments (FDI).
The Saudi government has supported the tourism sector to grow into a significant partner in growth via a number of rules, since the sector is a focus of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Therefore, Saudi Arabia is making every effort to fix the problems that are hindering its tourist industry. For the purpose of managing the country’s tourist industry, the Saudi government established the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) in the year 2000. Through the implementation of agreements, incentives, and promotion strategy, SCTH is helping to reduce hurdles such as government rules and bureaucratic that the tourism sector faces, in overall, and leisure investment activity, in specific (Yusuf, 2014). There are long-term goals for the tourism industry, and the tourism authority has plans to launch a tourist trade in the private industry and nationwide.
Saudi Arabia’s potential for Ecotourism
An integral aspect of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goal to improve the country’s economy and society is the creation of completely transparent borders. Developing tourist destinations to boost the economy and generate employment is a key part of this strategy, as is capitalizing on Saudi Arabia’s key location to serve as a gateway between Asia, Europe, and Africa in the commercial and tourism industries. The physical region between vital global rivers gives the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia a hub of commerce and entrance to the globe. By 2030, the Saudi Arabian government projects that it will have welcomed 100 million visitors, about twice as many as those visiting Italy yearly. Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia faces several challenges in its path from a conservative oil attraction to a tourist mecca.
The historically conservative and rigid policies of Saudi Arabia are a major deterrent for travelers. More liberal policies, though, have been introduced in tandem with Prince Mohammad’s governance and his long-term plan. In 2018, when women finally got the right to vote, these activities started. To further encourage tourism, Saudi Arabia has lifted its abaya requirement for female visitors and allows unmarried couples to rent guest rooms together. These changes, implemented as a component of Prince Mohammad’s ethnic rebranding, will be crucial in luring visitors from outside the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia is actively attempting to develop new tourist destinations and preserve and promote its current cultural landmarks to increase domestic and international tourism. An hour from Riyadh, the city of Qiddiya is being built as a major entertainment hub. There will be Six Flags, water slides, restaurants, motor racing, festivals, and art exhibitions, and the completed area will be larger than Disney World. As one of the three major initiatives, Qiddiya is a component pf Saudi Arabia’s plan to boost Ecotourism. The other projects include The Red Sea development, which aims to preserve natural, historical monuments on roughly 50 islands, and NEOM. This economic and industrial initiative would span Jordan and Egypt. The economy will benefit from adding new venues, and tourists will have additional reasons to go on adventures.
Positive Behaviors for Eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia
Numerous academics have devoted considerable time and energy to investigating how people feel tourism has impacted society. Some reviews have pessimistic projections of the social impacts, like the research in Pattaya, Thailand (Smith, 1992), which backs the interpretation that sustainable tourism helped bring prostitution and substance abusive behavior, has been connected to many tourism – related mortalities, sex-related illnesses and injuries, and government corruption. However, other studies have made conflicting results.Locals are more likely to welcome visitors if their stay results in beneficial social outcomes and new possibilities, such as expanded retail and entertainment options (Candrea et al., 2012). According to Pizam (1978), citizens may significantly influence public services by advocating for infrastructure upgrades like better roads.
Researchers have shown many positive cultural effects of tourism, including greater appreciation of local arts, a stronger sense of pride and cultural identity, more community spirit and understanding of other cultures, and greater familiarity with other cultures (Candrea et al., 2012). Quality of life is enhanced, and the community’s reputation is boosted, as are chances for cultural interchange and the reinvigoration of local traditions (Candrea et al., 2012). However, there is also evidence from the literature that it has harmful cultural effects. As a disruptive force, it may have unintended consequences, such as commercializing cultural practices and increased income inequality between locals and visitors (Tosun, 2002). Further, locals may become culturally dependent on the visitors and begin adopting their norms and beliefs in the long run.
Said & Haythem (2017) noted that locals in Hawaii did not share the opinion that tourism’s financial benefits should be prioritized above environmental conservation and that it had not caused a loss in the natural environment. A survey of Hawaiian college students found that most did not share the view that tourism helps to preserve the natural environment. On the other hand, North Wales locals believe that tourism is mostly to blame for the region’s deteriorating environment and that it also increases trash and garbage. According to a study based on the social exchange theory by Jurowski and Gursoy (2003), the proximity of inhabitants’ residences to tourist attractions is a major factor in the number of visitors to the area. The methodology used to calculate the costs and advantages of traveling. It was found that residents who were environmentally conscious and who lived closer to a tourism site were more supportive of tourism than those who lived further away and that recreation resource users who lived closer to a frequently visited attraction had a more negative outlook on tourism than those who lived farther away.
Impact of tourism on the environment citizens’ perceptions toward tourism.
According to a study by Khizindar (2012), tourists who have experienced other parts of Jeddah have preferred the city’s more developed, contemporary, and pleasant northern part. In addition, 76.5% of the people who participated in this survey already had a spouse. From a religious and cultural perspective, a wedding is seen as a holy bond in Islam. Within the context of marriage, it is normal and desirable for men and women to have romantic relationships and start families. Accordingly, matrimony is highly favored in Saudi Arabia.
According to Khizindar (2012), residents of Jeddah may have negative impressions of tourists because of the city’s look and cleanliness during peak tourist seasons. Sixty-five percent of those polled said that visitors significantly increase the city’s trash. In addition, almost all respondents (92%) stated that there is more trash on the beaches and in the water when tourists are present. Therefore, they did not agree that the metropolis looks fantastic and is well-kept for visitors. When the local population and visitors adopt the Afrocentric attitude of appreciating others, it may help to solve some of the problems. If visitors adopt this philosophy, they will leave each destination better than they found. As previously mentioned, most visitors are responsible for environmental abuse, including littering and improper trash disposal. Under this agreement, everyone, from visitors to long-term residents, would enjoy more convenience and safety.
According to Alawi et al. (2018), the Afrocentric view holds that everyone should be able to have a say in matters that directly affect their life. Since locals would be the ones to feel the effects of tourism, it seems to reason that they ought to have a say in how their area is run. Over 91% of participants believed that locals should have a say in tourist development, which is particularly true considering that over 60% of respondents thought that tourism providers did not do enough to safeguard the environment (Alawi et al., 2018). In addition, 58% said hotels and other tourist infrastructure destroy the ecological landscape (Alawi et al., 2018). Therefore, the government and local citizens must collaborate to preserve the community and its assets while reaping the advantages of tourist growth.
Hassan et al. (2020) found that Saudi locals’ attitudes about tourism are influenced by its environmental effects. The research results showed a connection between the influence of tourism and attitudes toward tourism among the populace of Jeddah. Attitudes of Jeddah locals regarding tourism are influenced by various factors, including the city’s cleanliness, congestion, access to utilities, water availability, and the quality of the air and sea. Travelers’ attitudes were significantly influenced by congestion and air and water quality. According to (Alawi et al., 2018), the results indicate that this model adequately accounts for 36% of the variation in how people in Jeddah feel about tourism.
Alawi et al. (2018) provided intriguing effects on social workers plan administrators outside the social work practice. Based on the results, it seems that social services in Jeddah should take environmental protection and resource preservation very seriously. The System Theory considers the workforce to be a dynamic system. According to the findings, tourism is a major drain on water resources since it uses so much of them (Hassan et al. 2020). Realizing this, it is obvious that water has to be managed effectively by establishing mechanisms to govern its utilization. The findings may be used by social workers to push for better water distribution in Jeddah. Equally, the results of this research may be used by project leaders to launch effective and long-lasting water quality management infrastructure.
Alawi et al. (2018) further discovered that the amount of trash and pollution in the city has greatly increased due to tourist activity. This discovery highlighted the critical need of quick action by social workers and program administrators. Specifically, it painted a clear picture of the need for more waste management strategy. Based on the results of this research, Jeddah’s project leaders need to fund and conduct waste disposal programs that are essential because of the city’s large yearly visitor population. This study laid the groundwork for social workers and program administrators to apply alternate techniques to boost tourism while reducing its negative consequences.
Chapter 3: Methodology
The research’s logic of inquiry is geared to investigate the beliefs and reasons behind tourist choices in Saudi Arabian eco-tourism. The study proves a wide variety of reasons for tourist lack of visiting and hesitation in investing in Saudi Arabian eco-tourism sites such as the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Natural reserve. More so, the research uses a qualitative methodology to determine the reasons and opinions of tourists on eco-tourism in the Kingdom. However, since the logic of inquiry for qualitative studies is geared to determine and provide distinct, detailed, and particular answers to a problem, a breakdown is necessary to understand the whole (Hildebrand, 2018). Hence, while the general logic of the research inquiry is to determine tourist attitudes on Saudi Arabian eco-tourism sites, it can be further divided into more segments.
Based on the samples provided, the study contained two major parts that guided the interviewing process. This logic of inquiry segments helps define the samples and provides more comprehensive and distinct responses for the study (Hildebrand, 2018). First, the qualitative interview was geared to determine the awareness of tourists in eco-tourism, and more so, Saudi Arabian eco-tourism sites. This question is crucial to understanding the need for the Saudi Arabian government to market and advertise eco-tourism in the country. Furthermore, the question avails the platform to determine the level of tourist awareness of eco-tourism. In this case, the study identifies limited knowledge from local tourism on eco-tourism and the necessity of eco-tourism. Secondly, the study methodology is geared to determine tourist attitudes and opinions on Saudi Arabian eco-tourism sites. The questions that follow this logic determine the reasons for tourists’ choice, or lack thereof, to invest in Saudi Arabian eco-tourism. In this case, the reasons to choose Saudi Arabian eco-tourism sites are geared to help tourism authorities grow the particular activities and features that attract tourists. Thus, the study identifies the core activities and features that attract tourists to Saudi Arabian eco-tourism. On the other hand, the reasons why tourists choose eco-tourism sites outside Saudi Arabia also help determine the areas where tourism authorities can improve to deal with the negative notions surrounding natural reserves. Therefore, the logic of inquiry was divided into two segments which determine the tourist level of awareness of eco-tourism in the Kingdom, and the opinions and attitudes behind tourist decisions, or lack thereof, in touring Saudi Arabian natural reserves.
Methodology and Analysis Procedure
The methodology and analysis process to answer the research questions follow a qualitative study through a semi-structured interviewing process, which is analyzed through thematic means. First, the qualitative study was chosen to better define the most prominent theories and explanations to answer the research questions. Qualitative studies are geared toward determining comprehensive and distinctive perspectives and concepts behind the research question (Bhandari, 2020). These perspectives must be comprehensive since they are generated from tourist experiences. Although these perspectives are limited in their sample size, they represent the views of larger tourist’s perspectives. Secondly, the qualitative study is executed through a semi-structured interview process that allows interviewees to share further than the scope of the question asked. In this scenario, semi-structured interviews offer more perspective on the study through open-ended information. Thus, qualitative semi-structured interviews allow the participants to share more about their experiences, thoughts, and beliefs on a particular subject.
Finally, the information retrieved from the interview process is analyzed thematically. Thematic analysis is a comprehensive and well-organized tool for determining the meaning of qualitative data and calibrating the general and most prominent experiences and opinions in such studies. The thematic analysis in the study was done in six fundamental steps. These include data familiarization, code generation, themes generation, themes review, theme naming, and a final, conclusive report (Kiger & Varpio, 2020). Thematic analysis is chosen to decipher the study’s collected data since the study deals with multiple and different ideas, views, and perspectives on eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia. Similar views and answers from the interviews are merged through the generation of codes and themes. Similar codes are merged into themes that are closely related. Hence, more definite and common answers to the research question are obtained through thematic analysis of qualitative data. For example, some tourists explain their preference for outside eco-tourism sites to those in the country due to strict traditional regulations. Traditional regulations appear as a common code and theme, further described by common answers such as limitations in opposite-sex interactions and limitations to cosmetics and clothing for female tourists. These two answers appear in the same code and theme. Therefore, the qualitative data analysis process is determined by generating codes and themes to identify common perspectives.
Sampling
Additionally, it is critical to determine the sampling and interviewing techniques and major considerations during the data collection and analysis process. First, the sampling technique, in this case, is purposeful sampling, where the samples for the study and data analysis are chosen beforehand to ensure more pragmatic and legitimate results (DeCarlo, 2018). Purposeful sampling, also called selective sampling, ensures that the researcher works with robust, definitive, and well-balanced samples. In purposive sampling, the researcher selects the participants according to their desired attributes and characteristics. Hence, the study formulated qualifying criteria in which only the relevant samples remained for the data analysis. These qualifying criteria for the research included active tourists from Saudi Arabia and outside countries. More so, the tourists must be under a certain age group with the highest population, which can be easily represented. Hence, for selective sampling, the participant’s information is obtained beforehand (DeCarlo, 2018). Finally, the sample size must remain small enough, unlike a quantitative study, while ensuring that the sampling is cross-sectional. Cross-sectional studies take their samples from different background attributes such as geographical location. Furthermore, cross-sectional studies ensure diverse and balanced representations of the whole population and the different views and beliefs. Therefore, the study used cross-sectional and purposeful sampling to ensure more definitive and well-balanced research.
Limitations of the Semi-structured Interview
Another important factor to consider for the study is the interviewing type and the research process’s elements attributed to the interview type. As described, the study used a semi-structured interview process that initiates structured and direct questions and conversations and dialogues between the researcher and the interviewee, including follow-up questions (DeJonckheere & Vaughn, 2019). The semi-structured interviewing process allowed the interviewer to trace a thought and make more sense of it through participants’ continual sharing of particular beliefs and thoughts. In this case, the interviewing process was beneficial due to easier access to multiple participants from various backgrounds through technology development. Such technology, such as online meetings and phone calls, can be recorded and reused for more analysis. Also, the interviews are more flexible for the researcher to host more interviews in less time. However, semi-structured interviews have multiple disadvantages that must be considered for the study. For example, semi-structured interviews require more personal commitment from the interviewer and the interviewee (Adhabi & Anozie, 2017). The researcher must be able to track single thoughts and determine their full context. Thus, another limitation of the semi-structured interviewing process includes the necessary and excessive resources and time needed for all the interviews. Furthermore, unlike the semi-structured interview, the structured interview has limited these flaws since it has prepared questions without any digress from the major question. Also, the structured interview takes less time and resources to accomplish. Therefore, although the semi-structured interviewing process was the best qualitative study model to determine the reasons behind the lack of success in the Kingdom’s eco-tourism, certain limitations are attributed to it, which must be considered.
Ethical Considerations
Finally, semi-structured interviews must consider ethical issues during the process. The study must remain ethical by respecting and maintaining all participants’ rights. In this case, the interviewing process heavily considers the privacy and consent of the participants (DeJonckheere & Vaughn, 2019). Before any study takes place, consent must be given, especially for semi-structured interviews. Hence, consent occurred for the study, where participants were made aware of the questions before the interview. Furthermore, the participant chooses how far they want to answer the questions through consent. Consent ensures that the participants are aware of the research, its objectives, and its fundamental nature. Secondly, another major ethical consideration for the interview process included the participants’ rights to privacy and discreteness. This interview consideration is more critical for semi-structured and unstructured interviews where the participants can expand in sharing their experiences and beliefs. Privacy also describes that the participants are not recorded without permission, and their answers are not shared on any other platforms unless the participant agrees. Also, another major ethical consideration for the study included the lack of changing participants’ ideologies and perceptions (DeJonckheere & Vaughn, 2019). The interview must not elicit any change from the researcher to determine only social and legitimate views and ideas. Therefore, major ethical considerations for the data collection and analysis are followed to ensure no participant’s ethical rights are broken.
The study’s methodology remains direct and contains multiple considerations and processes. These processes include the qualitative semi-structured interview. The qualitative study ensures that more distinct, definitive, and direct questions are asked. On the other hand, semi-structured interviews include open-ended questions that the researcher can ask more about to track with a single thought. Also, the study’s data is analyzed through thematic analysis, which involves the formation of similar themes and codes across a wide sample size. Similar codes and themes are formed from similar perspectives and views. Therefore, the remaining perspectives and views describe the most critical answers to the study’s logic of inquiry: to determine the attitudes of tourists in choosing eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia and those choosing outside country eco-tourism. The reasons and beliefs behind these choices are evaluated to determine how tourism stakeholders and authorities can best develop better features for the eco-tourism market. Still, another logic of inquiry exists to determine the level of awareness of tourists on eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia for sites such as Imam Turki bin Abdullah Natural Reserve. Hence, these considerations are placed in fulfilling the methodology and analysis processes.
Chapter 4: Data analysis and results
From the interviews that were conducted, it was found that the main reasons why both local and international tourists choose to do eco-tourism outside of Saudi Arabia are due to the lack of awareness, the lack of options in Saudi Arabia, and the perception that eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia is not well developed. Most respondents could not name specific areas in Saudi Arabia when asked, ‘Where is your favorite location for eco-tourism? And why?’ When asked about eco-tourism activities that they enjoyed, most respondents mentioned activities such as hiking, camping, and bird watching, which are not typically associated with eco-tourism. The most critical aspects that respondents looked for when choosing a natural reserve to visit were safety, accessibility, and affordability. Respondents were also interested in learning about the culture and history of the location. When asked ‘what they knew about eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia,’ most respondents were unaware of any specific initiatives or attractions in the country. When asked about the Royal Natural Reserve (What do you know about the royal natural reserve in Saudi Arabia?), most respondents were again unaware of its existence. This lack of awareness was also evident when respondents were asked about eco-tourism activities they enjoyed. Most respondents were unaware of what eco-tourism was, let alone what actions they could take.
Most respondents said their favorite location for eco-tourism was outside of Saudi Arabia while answering the question, ‘Where is your favorite location for eco-tourism? And why?’. The most common reasons given were that there are more options for eco-tourist activities outside of Saudi Arabia and that the natural reserves in Saudi Arabia are not as well-known or developed as those in other countries. When asked about the eco-tourist activities, they like to perform, the most popular answers were hiking, camping, and birdwatching. Other activities mentioned included kayaking, canoeing, and visiting national parks. It was also found that the most critical aspects people look for when visiting a natural reserve are accessibility, safety, and amenities. However, in Saudi Arabia, many natural resources are not easily accessible and are not well-equipped with security and amenities. This makes it difficult for people to enjoy eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia.
The respondents indicated that the most important aspects they look for when visiting a nature reserve are the beauty of the scenery, the variety of wildlife, and the opportunity to learn about the environment. When asked about their knowledge of Saudi Arabian eco-tourism, most respondents said they were not familiar with it. However, those familiar with eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia generally had positive things to say about it, such as that it is an excellent way to learn about the environment and appreciate the country’s natural beauty. The respondents indicated that the things that make them choose to do eco-tourism/visit natural reserves in an international location instead of Saudi Arabia are the greater variety of activities available, the better-known and developed natural resources, and the opportunity to see different scenery.
After deep analysis, the interviews revealed five primary reasons why tourists choose to engage in eco-tourism outside of Saudi Arabia:
The desire to experience new cultures and lifestyles: For many tourists, eco-tourism is about more than just interacting with nature – it’s also about experiencing new cultures and lifestyles. This was a prevalent reason cited by international tourists, who often travel to far-flung destinations to escape the monotony of their everyday lives.
The perception that eco-tourism outside of Saudi Arabia is more authentic: Some tourists felt that eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia was too commercialized and “fake,” often because it was geared towards wealthy Saudis who could afford to pay for the best guides and equipment. In contrast, they felt that eco-tourism in other countries was more authentic and down-to-earth, providing a more accurate sense of what it means to live in harmony with nature.
The belief that eco-tourism outside of Saudi Arabia is more sustainable: Many of the tourists interviewed felt that eco-tourism in Saudi Arabia was not sustainable, either because of the way it was managed or because of the negative impact that tourism can have on fragile ecosystems. This perception can be due to several factors, including the cost of travel to Saudi Arabia, the cost of accommodations, and the cost of activities. As a result, they choose to visit destinations where they believe eco-tourism is being done more sustainably.
The chance to see a wider variety of flora and fauna: Several Saudi and international tourists cited the desire to see a greater variety of plant and animal life as a critical reason for eco-tourism. This was especially common among international tourists, who often come from countries with relatively limited biodiversity.
The opportunity to learn new skills: For some tourists, eco-tourism is more than just observing – it’s also about learning. This was a prevalent reason cited by Saudi tourists, who often see eco-tourism as a way to acquire new skills, such as camping, hiking, and birdwatching. Some interviewees said that they look for new and different experiences. This can be due to a desire for adventure, a curiosity about other cultures, or simply a need for a change of scenery. For many people, eco-tourism allows them to step outside their comfort zone and explore new places and activities.
The results of the interviews suggest that the Saudi government should take steps to improve the quality and variety of eco-tourism locations and activities within the kingdom. In addition, the Nature reserves should take steps to lower the cost of eco-tourism activities within the domain. Doing so would make Saudi Arabia a more attractive destination for eco-tourists and help boost the kingdom’s economy.
Chapter 6: Campaign Strategy
Introduction
The project’s main goal is to introduce the Darb Zoubia winter festival which takes place in Imam Turki bin Abdullah Natural reserve, one of the destinations for both domestic and foreign tourists, with the sole of objective of encouraging the tourists to visit the reserve. The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve renders its support for Vision 2030. According to the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority (2022), the agency is supports the goal of ensuring effective management of the country through protection of its essentials assets, such as natural reserves, improving global tourism, and the development and improvement of domestic tourism. The administration understands that the natural reserves are assets that can be relied upon in the development of tourism in the country. Nasser (2022) observes that development of tourism using the natural reserves as assets will create many job opportunities for many people, especially the local people. The administration shares the same idea which is why it is committed to promote local and international tourism based on its natural assets; the current campaign is designed to help in pursuance of the goal.
Apart from promoting local and international tourism through national reserves, the kingdom under its Vision 2030 plans to improve the protection and enhancement of the environment. The environment plays an important role in supporting tourism. Without healthy environment, it would be difficult to establish such assets as the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve which hosts the Darb Zoubia winter festival. The festival, along with other tourist attractions in the reserve, brings together people from different parts of the kingdom as well as other countries. By promoting environmental protection, the country will be in a position to ensure continuity of the tourist attraction points. In addition, the country is committed to improve agricultural sustainability as one of the ways of ensuring food security for the residents and foreigners visiting the country as tourists or workers. Improving agricultural sustainability in the country will have a significant impact on the biodiversity, especially the maintenance of the water cycle and regenerating the biodiversity (“A Sustainable Saudi Vision,” 2022). Therefore, country needs actualize its Vision 2030 goals as part of its plan to promote tourism in the country.
Imam Turki bin Abduallah royal natural reserve provided an important opportunity to learn about various aspects of ecotourism including the challenges and strategies used to promote tourism. The agency acknowledges that people in general have limited knowledge about ecotourism and it would prudent to invest in educating them as one way of promoting tourism in the country. Notably, the country has numerous destinations which offer eco-tourism experiences to both local and international tourists, including the Imam Turki bin Abduallah royal natural reserve. The country is known for its diverse and exceptional natural heritage; the country’s natural heritage is composed of wet lands, desert, coastal areas and wildlife reserves among others. The country’s natural heritage is instrumental to its tourism development as it ensures sustainability in the industry (“Minsitry of tourism,” 2022). Hence, it is essential to promote the country’s natural heritage as a strategy to improve ecotourism in the country.
The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve is one of the largest reserves promoting ecotourism in the country. The reserve ranks second with an area of 91,500 km2. The Ecotourism is an important pillar and objective of the Imam Turki bin Abduallah royal natural reserve. The administration believes that through ecotourism, it can achieve its goals, both long term and short term goals. By promoting ecotourism, the administration will be in a position to revitalize tourism and environmental conservation while protecting the country’s cultural heritage for its future (The Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority, 2022). For purposes of promoting ecotourism, the authority considers four key elements including historical origins, cultural assets, cultural programs, and heritage and culture. Each of the four elements has a significant role in ecotourism. To promote each element the reserve has established five key objectives including biodiversity conservation and plant resettlement; preserving historical and cultural assets and restoring their prosperity; involving the local community and creating a positive socio-economic impact; providing an ecotourism experience and sustainable fishing with international standards for visitors, and; cooperating with specialized partners and stakeholders to achieve sustainability (The Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority, 2022). Thus, each element should be managed carefully to ensure the best outcomes.
Problem Statement
The problem the project seeks to address is that many tourists, including local and international tourists, do not know about the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Reserve and that it has a lot to offer in terms of ecotourism. The lack of knowledge about the reserve compromises tourism efforts in the reserve; the reserve continues to receive a small number of tourists as a result of its limited popularity. The campaign project is aimed at addressing the issue to promote ecotourism in the country.
Research Insight
The research highlights various points and themes regarding tourism in Saudi Arabia. One, the country is committed to promote ecotourism. According to Said & Haythem (2017), the country aims to receive over 100 million tourists annually. Through ecotourism, the country will be able to achieve the goal since it will protect the natural resources which are essential assets in the tourism sector. Although the country is synonymous with the oil industry which is one of the dangers to the natural resources, Saudi Arabia is committing significant amounts of resources in ecotourism. The country understands that an increase in the number of tourists will have an effect on the environment; it is invested in lessening the potential impacts of the burgeoning tourism industry. The government has also abolished a plan to plough back some of the earnings from ecotourism towards environmental protection. The country is also reducing its dependence on oil to promote ecotourism. By reducing its dependence on oil, the country will be a in a position to manage the increasing number of tourists with less impact on the environment. Therefore, investing in ecotourism is essential in promoting tourism in the country.
The country experiences some challenges in attracting international tourists. One of the reasons is its stringent traditional regulations. Some of these regulations have contributed the negative perceptions about the country international tourists. Some tourists entirely avoid Saudi Arabia because of the negative perceptions. By loosening the regulations, it will be easy to accommodate a significant number of international tourists. For example, allowing unmarried people to have a room together is one of the changes the country has effected to change the perceptions of the international community about the country. The country has some challenges of infrastructure which impede ecotourism. The less populated regions of the country have limited infrastructure unlike its major cities which is a challenge for eco-tourists targeting upcountry. There are complexities for travelling eco-tourists. The visa requirements in the country have led to reluctance among visitors. Rules regarding diversity and inclusion also make it difficult for diverse population to visit the country. However, the administration recognizes these challenges and has invested in addressing them. The country’s future in ecotourism is highly depended on its current efforts to promote it. The country has great potential in ecotourism. Therefore, every aspect of its ecotourism plans is essential in promoting tourism in the country.
Target Audience
The project targets a diverse audience. The primary target audience will be nature lovers while the secondary target audience will be other potential tourists. One of the aspects of the target audience is that it consists of both local and foreign nationals. Tourism in the country attracts both domestic and foreign tourists. The audience contains both men and women and people of different sexual orientations. Men and women perceive tourism differently and educating them about ecotourism will help to close the gap in perceptions between them. The campaign aims to highlight some of the changes the country is working on to welcome everybody as tourists. The campaign also targets people of all ages. Tourism is an experience that people of different ages can participate. Thus, the target audience is diverse since it covers the campaign is aimed at reaching the entire world.
Primary
Secondary
Demographic
Age from 22-50 years. Both genders. Middle to upper class. Students and employees.
Age from 22-50 years. Both genders. Middle to upper class.Tourist people
Psychographic
People who likes to try new things. People who love adventures. People who likes to spend time with their families and friends. people who likes to travel in the weekend.
People who likes to try new things. People who love adventures. People who likes to travel. People who likes to visit other countries for eco-tourism. tourist who have love to arrangve plan in Saudi Arabia.
Behavioral
Seek eco-tourism places inside the kingdom, they take recommendations from friends & family, they are looking for places where they can usually go to.
Seek the nearest eco-tourism destinations. Nice and good places to visit. Take recommendations from others.
Geographic
Saudi Arabia
International
Personas
Primary
Mohammed
Male
38 years
Lives in Riyadh
Upper middle to upper class
Business owner
Fully schedule
Looking to experience nature
Usually travels with family of 5 to spend a good amount of time with them
Extravert personality
Goals: To enjoy his vacation and spend it in a new experience
Motivations: family, community and work
Preferred channel: Twitter, Instagram, and youtube
Secondary
Sarah
Female
22 years
Lives in Jeddah
middle class
Sales and marketing manager
Loves to travel with her friend
Looking to explore and experience nature
Usually travels with 3 or more friends
Extravert personality
Goals: To advance her career in business
Motivations: Personal accomplishment
Preferred channel: Twitter, snapchat and Instagram
Saleh
Male
50 years
Lives in Hayeel
Lower to middle class
Work as a Ranger
Gives his family the most of what he can
Looking to let his family enjoy their time
Usually travels with his family.
Extravert personality
Goals: To achieve sustainability where he live
Motivations: Personal growth and satisfaction of doing something of great importance to the world.
Preferred channel: Twitter and YouTube
Competition Analysis
The market has various competitors including the Riyadh and Jeddah seasons. Just like the Darb Zoubia winter festival in Imam Turki bin Abdullah Natural reserve, Riyadh and Jeddah seasons aim at attracting tourists from different parts of the world. The popularity of the two seasons affects the performance of the Darb Zoubia winter festival in Imam Turki bin Abdullah Natural reserve. Many tourists who attend the Riyadh and Jeddah will find it difficult to return to the country for the Darb Zoubia winter festival taking into account the cost and time. Hence, the Darb Zoubia winter festival faces fierce competition from various festivals in the country including the Riyadh and Jeddah festivals.
Campaign Strategy
The campaign is aimed at promoting ecotourism in Imam Turki bin Abdullah Natural reserve through the Darb Zoubia winter festival. The campaign contains three phase. Phase one will involve research about the issues affecting ecotourism in Imam Turki bin Abdullah Natural reserve. The research identifies the challenges impeding ecotourism, facilitating factors, and the efforts of the various stakeholders to promote ecotourism. The second phase will involve campaign planning and implementation. The planning will consider the target audience, budget and time frame, messages, and tools and resources required to implement it. The third phase will also involve the implementation of the plans which will include the exaction part. The implementation process will take up to two weeks. The third phase will involve the evaluation of the campaign and its achievements.
Budget and Time Frame
The campaign is schedule to commence on January 3 and end on January 17, 2023 (for two weeks) and will involve various media outlets. The following table indicates the allocated budget for each.
Item
Price
Reach
Final Price
YouTube
0.25$ CPC
100,000 impressions
93,750 SR
0.5$ CPC
100,000 impressions
187,500 SR
0.4$ CPC
80,000 impressions
120,000 SR
Digital Billboards
10K-15K
Outdoor billboards
100,000 SR
Video Production
50,000 SR
Promotional items
Agency creating posters
5000 SR
Total
1
Media Plan
The campaign will utilize a multi-media approach to promote the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Natural reserve and the Darb Zoubia winter festival. The campaign will employ the services of social media influencers to promote the festival and reserve. The social media platforms used for the campaign will include Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Social media have many options in Advertising which is one of the best advantages. To continue on that Social media allows to stay in control the budget. As the YouTube is the most famous social media platform, it has 30.05 M users which accounts 89.50%. Moreover, instgram is the most effective platform, it has 25.66 active users. it’s the the best choice to reach the target. The digital media has a significant reach which conforms to goals of the campaign to reach audiences across the world. The campaign will also utilize mainstream media including billboards. As the campaign will be targeting the outgoing people, by the billboards they can easily be reached. Furthermore, it has a Stronger Impact OOH is the real thing. It can’t be blocked, skipped or viewed by bots. Also, it’s Real and Relevant