International Journal of Sustainable Development and

Planning
Vol. 20, No. 3, March, 2025, pp. 1283-1289
Journal homepage: http://iieta.org/journals/ijsdp

Exploring Tourism's Contribution to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030: Aligning with UN SDG 8
for Sustainable Growth
Tahir Iqbal , Faisal Aftab*

College of Business Administration, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Corresponding Author Email: faaftab@iau.edu.sa

Copyright: ©2025 The authors. This article is published by IIETA and is licensed under the CC BY 4.0 license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.200333 ABSTRACT

Received: 20 December 2024 This research explores how tourism contributes to successfully implementing the Saudi Arabia
Revised: 10 February 2025 Vision 2030, mainly in terms of resilience and correlation with the sustainable development
Accepted: 19 February 2025 goal (SDG) 8. This paper adopts a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology to
Available online: 31 March 2025 examine efforts to promote tourism in support of KSA Vision 2030 and its compliance with
SDG 8. Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct were the primary databases from which
relevant articles were retrieved. Ten studies were finally considered eligible for the review. It
Keywords: is evident that the tourism industry accounts for a large percentage of the GDP reports, which
tourism, Saudi Arabia, vision 2030, highlight that tourism accounted for approximately 9% of Saudi Arabia’s GDP in 2018,
United Nation, decent work and economic equating to $65 billion. Nevertheless, there are regulatory and ecological constraints.
growth (UN SDG8), sustainable growth Outcomes reveal the importance of sustainable tourism as implemented in the Al-Ula and The
Red Sea projects. In addition, community engagement and digital touchpoints, such as
interactive screens, digital signage, and kiosks that enhance visitor interaction, stand out as
successful strategies for the future of tourism experiences. It compares findings with extant
research, providing practical strategies to ensure sustainable tourism development supports
Vision 2030 and global SDGs. However, it is essential to note the limitations of this study,
including the small sample size of reviewed articles, which may affect the generalizability of
the findings. Therefore, this research has suggested the need to adopt strategic leadership,
incorporate all stakeholders into the practices, and realize the value of technology in enhancing
Saudi Arabia's tourism destination status.

1. INTRODUCTION serving careers [2, 4]. Since job creation and economic
diversification initiatives are expected to be pursued as
Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia is an understandable strategic structural fixes to the labor market in the kingdom, tourism
plan aimed at transforming the kingdom’s economy and, appears well-suited to help with the undertaking.
therefore, decreasing the country’s vulnerability to At the same time, the achievement of these goals is
fluctuations in the price of oil. Tourism forms one of the core protected by specific difficulties. Tourism development can
components of this strategy, with the government wishing to sow seeds of socio-ecological dilemmas in vulnerable natural
grow its contribution to the GDP from 3% as it was in 2019 to areas like the Red Sea region, where ecosystems are at risk
10% in 2030 [1]. Tactical measures complement the ambitious from overdevelopment [5, 6]. In addition, there is a skills gap
goal of the e-visa program initiated in 2019, including in the industry, a problem occasioned by the challenges
infrastructure developments that entail NEOM and the Red employers have to recruit competently trained professionals in
Sea Project, as well as the renovation of cultural and historical hospitality and tourism management [7]. Another threat
AlUla. Through these, the authorities hope to reach 100 resides in accepting the public and a gradually expanding
million international tourists a year by 2030, produce one number of international tourists who, on the one hand, bring
million new jobs needed, and achieve business revenues of specific revenue to the island, while on the other hand, the
$80 billion annually [2]. population needs to maintain their common cultural standards
There is a clear connection between the developed form of and beliefs.
tourism and the eighth UN SDG, economics, and employment. Despite this, the targets set in Vision 2030 must elaborate
As the sector develops, it is expected to solve important on the feasibility and the potential implementation progress.
problems, such as unemployment among the young population For example, creating one million new jobs and annual $80
of Saudi Arabia, which was approximately 27% in 2023 [3]. billion in revenues never explain the conditions for building
Another benefit of the industry is that there are possibilities to infrastructure and preparing the workforce for that end [8, 9].
enhance the involvement of Chinese people, especially women Further, the relative analysis of tourism's effects on the
and young people, in hospitality, cultural occasions, and economy compared with the other fields or international

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averages would be useful. Through a Systematic Literature appropriate keywords were applied to focus on the study's
Review (SLR), this study examines sustainable tourism trends research topic.
in Saudi Arabia using methods that past research has not
widely adopted. Prior research tended to view only specific 2.2 Keywords and Boolean operations
parts of tourism development and sustainability separately
until researchers in this paper connected those findings to the Table 1 shows the keywords and Boolean operators
overall SDG 8 consensus. The research highlights ways for employed in performing research to identify literature of
communities to connect with tourists using digital tools while interest. Selecting keywords connected with tourism in Saudi
sharing practical strategies that match Saudi Arabia's local Arabia, Vision 2030, sustainable development, and challenges
conditions. This research studies Al-Ula and The Red Sea narrows the search. AND, OR, and phrase searches represent
projects to learn what works while addressing weaker points the scope and content of issues concerning the connection
of earlier publications about ecological regulations. This between tourism and SDG 8.
research develops a complete view of sustainable tourism in
Saudi Arabia while setting the foundation for future research 2.3 Databases and search string
that supports Vision 2030 objectives.
The academic databases used and the search strings applied
are shown in Table 2. These are Scopus, Web of Science, and
2. METHODOLOGY Science Direct for listing peer-reviewed articles. Specific
keywords and Boolean operands were used to generate
This paper adopts an SLR methodology to examine efforts searches related to Saudi Arabia's tourism under Vision 2030.
to promote tourism to support KSA Vision 2030 and its
compliance with SDG 8. Therefore, the SLR method yields 2.4 Inclusion and exclusion criteria
non-biased results from the currently available literature,
which allows for the recognition of essential topics and further Table 3 outlines the criteria for inclusion and exclusion of
research perspectives. studies used in this study. These criteria increase relevance and
paper quality since they filter articles on or after 2018,
2.1 Search strategy published in English, and specific to Saudi Arabia's tourism
industry. This systematic filter excludes unrelated or
In the context of article selection, an electronic search was unattainable sources, bringing about a relevant and credible
performed to cover the significant peer-reviewed international review. The study used 10 studies for a systematic review, but
DBs containing full-text articles, industry reports, and the small sample size is a limitation and limits the
conference proceedings. Thus, Boolean operators and generalizability of findings to different research contexts.

Table 1. Keywords and Boolean operations

Concept Keywords Boolean Operations

Tourism in Saudi “Saudi Arabia tourism” OR “tourism in KSA” OR “Saudi (“Saudi Arabia tourism” OR “tourism in KSA”)
Arabia Vision 2030 tourism” AND Vision 2030
Vision 2030 “Vision 2030” AND “tourism” “Vision 2030” AND (“tourism” OR “hospitality”)
Sustainable “Sustainable tourism” OR “economic growth tourism” OR (“sustainable tourism” AND SDG 8) OR
Development “UN SDG 8” (“economic growth” AND “tourism”)
Challenges and “Tourism challenges” OR “environmental impact tourism” OR (“tourism challenges” OR “environmental
Impacts “tourism policy Saudi Arabia” impact”) AND “Saudi Arabia”

Table 2. Databases and search string

Database Search String

Scopus (“Saudi Arabia tourism” OR “tourism in KSA”) AND (“Vision 2030” OR “UN SDG 8”)
Web of Science (“sustainable tourism” AND “economic growth”) AND (“Saudi Arabia” OR “Vision 2030”)
Google Scholar (“Tourism challenges in Saudi Arabia” OR “tourism environmental impact”) AND (“policy” OR “Vision 2030”)
ScienceDirect (“Saudi Vision 2030” AND “tourism development”) AND (“economic growth” OR “sustainable tourism”)
Emerald Insight (“Tourism development Saudi Arabia” AND “UN SDG 8”) OR (“sustainability challenges” AND “Vision 2030”)

Table 3. Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Criteria Inclusion Exclusion

Publication Articles published from 2018 onwards to ensure alignment Articles published before 2018 that do not provide relevant
Year with Vision 2030 and recent developments. insights into Vision 2030.
Language Articles written in English. Articles written in English or translations need more clarity.
Relevance Studies directly addressing tourism in Saudi Arabia, Vision Studies focusing on general tourism unrelated to Saudi
2030, or UN SDG 8. Arabia or not addressing Vision 2030.
Document Peer-reviewed articles, conference papers, and Editorials, opinion pieces, and non-academic blogs.
Type government/industry reports.
Accessibility Full-text articles are available through open access or Articles with restricted access or abstracts without full text.
institutional subscription.

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2.5 Data analysis

Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data collected for

this study, a common qualitative research technique for
extracting, categorizing, and making meaning out of patterns
in data. Thus, the process was pursued in accordance with the
six-phase approach of previous study [10], starting from the
familiarity stage, where an initial understanding of the themes
and repeated patterns of experience is obtained. Features were
then systematically coded for relevance to create the core
framework for clustering relevant ideas into broader themes.
These themes were emergent inductive; that is, the narratives
of the data were subsequently triangulated, and a peer review
group agreed with them to establish contextual validity and
reliability. The use of thematic analysis was particularly
justified because the analyzed studies present intricate
relations between tourism and Vision 2030, where multiple
and sometimes contradictory views must be synthesised
systematically and nuancedly.

3. RESULTS

PRISMA is one of the well-established reporting checklists

for systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Five hundred
records were retrieved by subjecting the databases to thorough
searches. Based on abstract and title screening, inclusion, and
exclusion criteria, non-relevant studies were excluded, and 10
Figure 1. PRISMA framework
articles only qualified for the final review (Figure 1).

Table 4. Theme 1: Tourism and vision 2030

Study Method Findings Conclusion

Quantitative, Tourism is pivotal to Vision 2030, with challenges like Participatory leadership and strategic focus are
[5]
surveys leadership and regulatory constraints highlighted. essential to tourism's success under Vision 2030.
Biodiversity protection maintains positive links between It is essential to develop pro-environmental
Quantitative, sustainability-focused values and farm tourist fulfillment behaviors within farm tourist groups because
[11]
surveys alongside rational fuel utilization promoting all altruistic improved values can result in better well-being with
and biospheric personal value development. sustainable Al-Ahsa regional tourism practices.
Case study, It identified challenges and strategies for positioning Strategic marketing and addressing barriers can help
[12]
surveys Saudi Arabia as a global tourism destination. Saudi Arabia achieve global tourism branding.

Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia highlighted that the tourism projects, and lengthy procedures hinder infrastructure
sector will take a central position in future development, enhancements. Such gaps, including inconsistent strategic
affecting economic diversification, improving social welfare, direction and inadequate investment in people, also slow
and improving the kingdom's status. Tourism is considered progress. The study concludes that for the kingdom to succeed,
one of the key activities that may contribute to deviation from a participative leadership style is needed within the tourist
the oil-dependent approach to the kingdom's economic industry so that personnel at all levels of government, along
development and thus support economic diversification with personnel from the private sector and local communities
policy. Many scholars have considered how tourism is situated in Saudi Arabia, must work more closely together. Therefore,
within this broader conception and outlined its risks and these issues will require long-term strategies such as
prospects for success (Table 4). developing comprehensive infrastructure plans, investing in
AlNemer [5] employed a quantitative research method by workforce training, and creating public-private partnerships to
developing a survey to investigate tourism and Vision 2030. ensure sustainable growth. The results of this study have
The study discovered that tourism is relevant in transforming shown that high-governance structures and synergistic
the kingdom's economic and social structure. However, commitment from all stakeholders are crucial to attaining the
AlNemer [5] noted that several factors might slow the tourism objectives stated in Vision 2030.
realisation of tourism's policy goals and objectives, such as AlAli et al. [11] revealed that pro-environmental behaviors
leadership and policy regime [13, 14]. The issues of enhance rural tourism in Al-Ahsa. According to AlAli et al.
fragmented stakeholders, excessive bureaucracy, and [11] quantitative survey, biodiversity protection and rational
leadership voids are some of the reasons that negatively impact fuel utilization have been shown to develop altruistic with
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 in Tourism. The government and biospheric personal values along with sustainability-focused
private sector, as well as communities’ lack of values fulfilling the needs of farm tourists. The monitoring
synchronisation, create problems in the work progression of promotion of pro-environmental attitudes within farm tourist

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demographics produces better wellness outcomes and to Alyoubi [12], the kingdom can enhance its global tourism
sustained tourism activities in the regional area. Further, AlAli positioning by increasing its focus on making the Saudi
et al.'s [11] work shows that environmental value promotion Arabian nation friendly to international tourists and exploring
creates pathways that directly benefit tourist satisfaction and and promoting its cultural and natural tourist sites. The case
support sustainable tourism development despite AlNemer’s study is justified by asserting that Saudi Arabia can achieve its
[5] identification of systemic barriers [15, 16]. goal of becoming one of the top global tourist destinations by
Alyoubi [12] uses the case study method with surveys to 2030, providing that the appropriate level of marketing and
assess the issues and approaches of advertising Saudi Arabia investment is made.
for tourism. The paper also outlines six challenges for the Sustainable tourism is a foundational idea that occupies a
kingdom. At the same time, it cannot compete on the global more and more significant place in Saudi Arabia's tourism
stage today, which includes infrastructure, lack of master plan for its Vision 2030 program. Ecological and socio-
international marketing, and perceptions of KSA as a closed cultural tourism are essential considerations in the sustainable
destination for some people. Nevertheless, Alyoubi’s [12] growth of the tourist industry, thereby avoiding negative
research also identifies the following possible solutions to the impacts on the environment [17]. Prior research has examined
barriers above: launching a series of marketing campaigns how the Saudi Arabian Tourism Authority and its tourism
targeting Saudi Arabia as a tourist hot spot, investing in development projects, AlUla and the Red Sea, including its
infrastructure, the extent of transportation facilities, sustainability strategy.
accommodation, and service quality, among others. According

Table 5. Theme 2: Sustainable tourism and environmental sustainability challenges

Study Method Findings Conclusion

Sustainable tourism is vital for long-term
Comparative Sustainable practices in AlUla and The Red Sea
[18] economic and environmental benefits in Saudi
analysis projects show commitment to ecological preservation.
Arabia.
Tourism development must integrate
Co-integration A positive relationship between tourism and economic
[19] environmental sustainability into policy and
regression test growth; challenges with carbon emissions.
practices.
Panel ADRL Economic growth supports tourism growth; ecological Sustainable practices must balance economic
[20]
framework footprint and CO2 emissions are significant concerns. growth with environmental and social priorities.

A study by Filippi and Mazzetto [18] is helpful in and the country's economic development, meaning that
understanding how two main tourism projects in Saudi Arabia, tourism can potentially boost the national economy. However,
Al-Ula and the Red Sea, have adopted sustainable practices in the study also conducted a study on the social cost of this
the process of developing those two iconic locations. This is growth, mentioning the problems of carbon emissions and
evident in the use of renewable energy for production and the resource non-renewal. Faisal et al. [19], therefore, contend that
use of water in these projects, which take an environmentally it is necessary for Saudi Arabia to develop tourism policies to
friendly approach to marketing the country as a tourist incorporate ecological sustainability to solve the problem of
destination (Table 5). However, this study fails to address the the effects caused by the expansion of the tourism sector. As
arms and opportunities that exist regarding these sustainability the directed research concurs with the concepts of Filippi and
endeavours. For example, as these undertakings will seek to Mazzetto [18], there is an emergence of social expectation of
preserve the area’s environment, the capacity and constant the need to improve the sustainability consideration of mass
expansion could greatly challenge Saudi Arabia’s easily tourism projects' impact on concealed environment expenses.
strained ecosystems. A large number of tourists can result in This is evidenced by the co-integration regression test results,
resource depletion, increased waste, and interferences with thus showing that while promoting economic growth, the
communities, which are elements that need to be managed to physical costs surrounding tourism could very easily offset the
make sure that the sustainable development of such programs gains and, in the process, render unsustainable the physical
can occur. Secondly, many aspects as a result of cultural resource base of the sector [18].
tourism development, including alteration of cultural Tourism and its links to economic development, as well as
sites/objects and community displacement, are usually problems with the environment, were also described by Wani
neglected, although they are very significant factors et al. [20]. This study used the Panel ARDL model to analyse
determining the sustainability of the tourism sector [20, 21]. the interactive effects of economic development, tourism
Faisal et al. [19] considered the economic impacts of the promotion, and environmental changes in Saudi Arabia. While
tourism sector, applying the co-integration regression test for agreeing with their assertion that economic development is an
the research on the correlation between the development of essential predictor of tourism development, their research also
tourism and economic growth in Saudi Arabia. The co- highlighted the unsustainability impact that current tourism
integration regression tests show the correlation between expansion requires in terms of CO2 emissions [14, 15]. This
diverse variables and their coefficients. The FMOLS results particular investigation brings to light the fact that the
display a -0.003 negative relationship with carbon dioxide for questions of environmental responsibility and sustainability
tourism expenditure, which is statistically insignificant at 0.68. and the question of the growth of the economy cannot be
On the other hand, the overall results found with the DOLS effectively solved in isolation from one another. The body of
method are a little positive at the margin (coefficient = 0.05, p research as a whole indicates that, although economic
= 0.08), though insignificant. The constant term (C) is development is a major factor in stimulating tourism, Saudi
estimated at 3.5 under FMOLS but is non-significant (p = Arabia must resolve certain sustainable political problems that
0.13). Their evidence shows the relationship between tourism may harm the surroundings and the people. Hence, based on

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the research studies of Filippi and Mazzetto [18], Faisal et al. community and sustainable measures needed in a dynamically
[19], and Wani et al. [20], the conclusion is that economic growing context such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The
growth as espoused in Vision 2030 can only be arrived at in tourism development under Vision 2030 of the kingdom
Saudi Arabia if Sustainable environmental and social Tourism targets sustainable economic benefits that can encompass the
Management Policies are put in place. community [13, 16].
Tourism development is connected with the notion of the

Table 6. Theme 3: Community and tourism development

Study Method Findings Conclusion

Community involvement is critical for
Surveys, structural Community attachment influences perceived benefits;
[6] sustainable and inclusive tourism
equation modelling knowledge impacts satisfaction.
development.
Investment in nature tourism, like camping,
Camping is gaining popularity in Riyadh, indicating
[17] Field study, surveys can diversify tourism offerings and enhance
untapped opportunities in nature tourism.
economic growth.
Better collaboration between NGOs and
Tourism policies in the MENA region need more
[7] Leximancer analysis policymakers can align tourism development
integration of peace and sustainability objectives.
with the SDG goals.
Positive country image leads to heightened tourist The necessity of developing multidimensional
[22] Quantitative survey satisfaction and superior experiences by functioning positive national images for rising tourism
through cognitive image as an essential mediator. destinations.

In their study, Alsaloum et al. [6] examine the antecedents perspective was 0.238(p = 0.000). However, the actual
of community attachment and knowledge on beneficiary visitation is more strongly related to the reasonable value
perception toward tourism outputs and satisfaction. The study camping packages available in Riyadh, with a coefficient of
did establish that those with moderate to high awareness of the 0.409(p = 0.000), meaning that better offers could contribute
tourism programmes tend to have a positive attitude towards considerably to increasing tourism rates. These results provide
the effects of tourism in the communities (β = 0.439, p < 0.05). evidence for nature-based tourism in Riyadh. However, the
This shows that local people can be useful to the development correlation coefficients are not very strong, meaning that there
of tourism since their participation ensures that the are indicators that have to improve to enhance the level of
development is related to their expectations and cultural nature-based tourism in Riyadh [15]. This study ascertains that
practices (Table 6). According to the study, community leveraging this trend may help Saudi Arabia expand its tourism
attachment refers to the level of emotions residents have for product diversification, thus fostering the kingdom's
the community, while perceived tourism advantage refers to diversification objectives [7, 12]. Suppose Saudi Arabia
the effects residents perceive regarding tourism in the encourages camping and other similar outdoor excursions. In
community. The study emphasises that perceptions of tourism that case, the country can tap into different groups of
among the communities are more positive among residents households, both domestic and international tourists, in
with medium and high awareness of the tourism programmes. diversifying revenue sources, thereby boosting the economy
They pointed out the need for increased local people’s and the sense of togetherness among Saudi households [13].
participation in developing their tourist sites so that their needs On this front, it aligns with the vision.
are appreciated. It is most important to have two-way International tourism can help develop local communities
communication between tourists as the planners and yet threaten to destroy their historic ways of life. Tourist visits
inhabitants of an area where the tourism projects are can make local traditions become commercial products,
developed. To this end, the study proposes what it calls a ‘top- reducing their value. When local people participate in tourism
bottom approach’ in which local communities not only receive planning, they use tourism to maintain their culture while
information concerning tourism development plans but they earning money from visitors [18]. A successful system to
are directly involved in the decision-making process on the balance international tourism with local culture requires
same, thus guarantying that the made decisions are their community leaders and experts to lead the development of
expectations and cultural beliefs [14]. tourism projects. The combination of tourist benefits does not
Taibah et al. [17] conducted a field study and survey to always maintain original cultural customs when they are
capture the phenomenon of camping in Riyadh as an example changed to please visitors. When local people take charge of
of the primarily untapped in terms of nature-based tourism tourism organising, they can ensure tour operators show actual
experience. The analysis shows negative but statistically cultural practices, not planned displays [13]. When local
significant relationships between various drivers of nature communities and tourists strike a balance, they defend their
tourism, such as camping in Riyadh. For example, the link heritage while giving visitors real cultural experiences that
between the perceived role of satisfied visitors on nature create long-term tourism benefits.
tourism in Saudi Arabia and the actual TripAdvisor site visits Anouti et al. [7], unlike most authors, who focus on
to nature tourism sites is 0.164, t = 3.19, p < 0.003. Moreover, individual countries and strategic analysis, they provide an
the cross-tabulation between the idea that nature tourism overview of the tourism policies in the MENA region by
should belong to the Saudi Tourism Ministry vision and employing a qualitative data analysis called Leximancer. The
camping is 0.200 and a significance of 0.000. Interestingly, study also establishes the fact that there is a vulnerability
when the chi-square and mean values were compared, the concerning the coordination of peace and sustainability goals
correlation coefficient of Riyadh-specific camping intention in the tourism policies of the region countries, including KSA.
and the importance placed on nature tourism from the Saudi However, there needs to be more compatibility with the SDGs;

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hence, there is a significant void in the contextualisation of produce insights that boost tourism sustainability. AR and VR
tourism as a tool for increased social and environmental technology can improve tourist visits while sharing Saudi
returns [7]. The researchers stress that it is possible to achieve Arabian traditions and past [13]. Future research must better
positive results by implementing peace-building and study these gaps to help Saudi Arabia achieve its Vision 2030
sustainability components into the framework of the tourism goals by balancing tourism growth with
kingdom's tourism policies and services to support environmental protection.
communities' development and international relations based These research findings affect tourism development
on Saudi Arabia's potential for sustainable tourism in the strategies and theory practice in Saudi Vision 2030. The study
context of the region. supports the need for tourism development models to include
Aloufi [22] conducted the analysis of 112 tourists in Saudi both community participation in planning and sustainable
Arabia's Taif City through structural equation modeling practices to achieve better financial and social results [5].
(SEM), and examined the interactions between cognitive, Research now supports plans that involve public participation
emotional, and behavioral aspects of the country's image while as a better way to build tourism systems that can handle
investigating their effect on tourist satisfaction and change. The research shows us that tourism policies need
experiences. The study findings demonstrated that visitor integration to solve both economic growth and environmental
satisfaction and complete experiences benefit from a positive protection issues [7]. Government officials must build systems
country perception through the cognitive image function, that help tourism industry partners and local residents
intensifying how affective and conative elements affect collaborate with authorities to achieve sustainable
destination competitiveness judgments. Results demonstrate development targets. Policies need to back the tourism
why Saudi Arabia needs to develop a comprehensive positive industry's creativity and promote nature-based tours because
national image for its tourism sector while providing consumers want new product options [19]. When
beneficial guidance to policymakers and marketing experts policymakers bring stakeholders together while prioritising
who seek to boost visitor satisfaction and promote sustainable sustainable practices, they build a tourism sector that allows
growth throughout Saudi Arabia and comparable destinations. tourism to grow while safeguarding natural and cultural
heritage for the next generation.

4. DISCUSSION
5. CONCLUSION
The research shows that Saudi Arabia's tourism sector
generated 9% of the country's total economic value by 2018. This research examined Saudi Arabian tourism to determine
Our analysis proves that tourism can promote Saudi Arabia's how it supports the nation's Vision 2030, focusing on
Vision 2030 goal of economic diversification through industry sustainable tourism and its compliance with the UN SDG 8.
reliability. At both AlUla and The Red Sea projects, Saudi The results also underline that tourism stakeholders are doing
Arabia demonstrates the potential of tourism to protect nature much to sustain economic diversification, local involvement,
and historical sites. Current research shows sustainable and environmental sustainability. However, issues such as
tourism should be considered essential to building the regulatory hurdles, leadership deficits, and ecological
country's economic plan instead of a side benefit. Despite exchanges demand more structured approaches. Saudi
showing benefits across various studies, new research Arabian tourism projects, including AlUla and The Red Sea,
directions must be explored to better understand this area. are sustainable tourism projects, and they show Saudi Arabia's
Research shows community involvement helps tourism conservation efforts, but policy coherence is required to
succeed, but how this impact enhances sustainability results reconcile economic growth with the environment effectively.
remains unclear. Future research needs to study many The prominence of community involvement as an essential
engagement approaches to see how actively involved determinant of the relations under study results from the
communities drive better tourism projects for sustainability. requirements associated with the need to develop attachment
Research needs to study tourism's positive and negative and satisfaction within the local community. Further, the study
effects on carbon emissions. Research from AlNemer [5] establishes the significance of technology in evaluating
displays that the problems associated with tourism growth tourists' perceptions of the destination and enhances service
create a negative impact, proving that we need to find an eco- quality through sentiment analysis instruments.
friendly way to develop our tourism industry. The field The policy suggestions should address Saudi Arabia's local
demands research tools to evaluate how tourism affects nature needs by matching them to their community and natural
and methods to make it more environmentally friendly. The environment. Government leaders should create a system that
research should investigate operations and initiatives in lets local people take part in planning and deciding what
tourism that promote environmental sustainability to prevent tourism should look like in their neighborhoods. Local tourism
the industry from damaging nature during growth. The councils of experts from all sectors will help choose tourist
research shows that we must focus on including peace and options that fit well with local customs and the community's
environmental protection targets in regional tourism beliefs. The government needs to offer training for local
management systems. According to Anouti et al. [7] separate business owners that teaches eco-tourism methods alongside
policies make it harder to develop tourism effectively. Future cultural heritage and natural landscape promotion. This
research must evaluate region-level success models worldwide strategy would help develop multiple income sources across
so Saudi Arabia can create effective tourism policies. the community while creating happy and proud residents.
Modern technology offers a new way to connect local Special rules must control tourism access to vulnerable
communities with tourists, but researchers have not yet studied locations and natural areas to protect vital cultural and natural
this possibility. Research into digital platforms and mobile resources during development. Local communities can attract
apps that bring tourists and local communities together will visitors by holding traditional cultural events to boost tourism

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https://fjssj.journals.ekb.eg/article_338934.html.
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