SACM - United Kingdom
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/9667
Browse
3 results
Search Results
Item Restricted Enhancing the Pilgrimage Experience: An In-depth Analysis of Religious Tourism for Hajj in Makkah, Saudi Arabia(Middlesex University, 2024) Farea, Fahd; Terzidou, MatinaExecutive Summary Hajj is one of the most important events in the Islamic calendar, often requiring Muslims to attend the event at least once in their lives. Each year, the event attracts millions of people, leading to congestion especially due to the growing number of unauthorised pilgrims. Although the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MHU) is responsible for planning Hajj during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah from the 8th- 12th day of the month, some of the events have been marred with casualties as stampedes result in thousands of people being injured. Furthermore, the event occurs during the summer which means extreme heat, often affecting the elderly. In recent years, technologies have been used in an attempt to improve the experience and organisation of pilgrims. To investigate the social phenomenon, this study adopted an interpretivist approach through a descriptive design, an inductive approach and qualitative semi structured interviews. The goal was to provide the participants an opportunity to explain their ideas, beliefs and experiences. The current study also includes twelve participants purposively selected from three agencies that organise or facilitate the Hajj experience in one way or another. From the thematic analysis of the interviews, the current research found that the expectations of Hajjis play a crucial role in shaping their experience during the pilgrimage. Finally, the study found that communication challenges from non-Arab speakers particularly, climate issues and infrastructural issues account for some of the main challenges that affect the pilgrim experience for Hajjis in Saudi Arabia.18 0Item Restricted Enhancing the Pilgrimage Experience: An In-depth Analysis of Religious Tourism for Hajj(Middlesex University, 2024-09) Farea, Fahd; Terzidou, MatinaSummary Hajj is one of the most important events in the Islamic calendar, often requiring Muslims to attend the event at least once in their lives. Each year, the event attracts millions of people, leading to congestion especially due to the growing number of unauthorised pilgrims. Although the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (MHU) is responsible for planning Hajj during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah from the 8th- 12th day of the month, some of the events have been marred with casualties as stampedes result in thousands of people being injured. Furthermore, the event occurs during the summer which means extreme heat, often affecting the elderly. In recent years, technologies have been used in an attempt to improve the experience and organisation of pilgrims. To investigate the social phenomenon, this study adopted an interpretivist approach through a descriptive design, an inductive approach and qualitative semi structured interviews. The goal was to provide the participants an opportunity to explain their ideas, beliefs and experiences. The current study also includes twelve participants purposively selected from three agencies that organise or facilitate the Hajj experience in one way or another. From the thematic analysis of the interviews, the current research found that the expectations of Hajjis play a crucial role in shaping their experience during the pilgrimage. Finally, the study found that communication challenges from non-Arab speakers particularly, climate issues and infrastructural issues account for some of the main challenges that affect the pilgrim experience for Hajjis in Saudi Arabia.10 0Item Restricted The United Kingdom Muslims' Perspectives Toward Tourism in Saudi Arabia After Hajj or Umrah(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-12-19) Alshamrani, Zuher; Hooper, NicolaMillions of pilgrims visit Saudi Arabia annually to perform the religious duties of 'Hajj and Umrah'. This research aims to explore the willingness of UK pilgrims to engage in tourism activities after Hajj or Umrah by examining the literature on tourism and public relations in Saudi Arabia. A survey was used to measure attitudes, while focus groups were used to explore these attitudes in greater depth. Data was collected from 109 UK Muslim participants, and the results indicated that most were subsequently willing to engage in tourism activities. Almost a quarter of the participants expressed that they have a moral or religious conflict when mixing Hajj or Umrah with tourism. Their main interests regarding tourism in Saudi Arabia are visiting Islamic landmarks and local cuisines, while their main concerns are hot weather and financial costs. The image they hold regarding tourism in Saudi Arabia is associated with religion, as it is the country that contains Islamic sanctities and offers nothing else. The majority of UK pilgrims lack awareness of the tourism opportunities in Saudi Arabia, and receive the information they do acquire from social media. Public relations can play a crucial role in enhancing the image of the Saudi tourism sector, addressing misconceptions, raising awareness of the available tourism opportunities, and developing mutual understanding with the target audiences. This can be achieved by considering pilgrims as the main stakeholder, adopting the Two-Way Symmetrical Model as a framework for communication, and applying a Change Model. This research provides an overview of UK Muslims’ perspectives towards the Saudi tourism sector and discusses the role of PR in promoting Saudi Arabia as an attractive destination. The research aims to help public relations practitioners in the Saudi tourism sector attract more tourists.21 0