Author(s)

GHADEER ALAWI, HATOON JAMJOUM, HAITHAM SAMIR

Abstract

The Historical Old Jeddah, otherwise called Al-Balad, was inscribed in the UNESCO world heritage list in 2014. Since then, the international recognition has strengthened its appeal as a heritage tourism destination, and the need for a promising heritage tourism plan has become essential. Many researchers intended to develop heritage tourism plans from a decision maker’s perspective, but few studies have explored heritage resources from tourists’ perspective. The objective of this study is to evaluate tourists’ experience of and satisfaction with the Al-Balad heritage site. The study defines factors which influence their experience such as presented information; comfort and safety; cultural values; and entertainment experiences. A field study and a structured survey are conducted in order to analyze the quality of the tourists’ experience. The research, by utilizing the information gathered in this survey, concludes with considerations to be incorporated into the tourism plan of the old city. The outcome of this research shall contribute to the Saudi 2030 vision of enabling and enhancing the development of tourism sector and promoting the Islamic, Arab and National heritage of the Kingdom.

Keywords

urban heritage, cultural tourism, tourist experience, Old Jeddah