SOCIO-CULTURAL IMPACT OF HERITAGE TOURISM ON LOCAL COMMUNITY IN SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

This study investigates the socio-cultural ramifications of heritage tourism on the local community of Diriyah City, Saudi Arabia, employing a cross-sectional quantitative survey methodology to comprehensively assess its impact. Through meticulous analysis, it elucidates the intricate dynamics of community satisfaction, acceptance, and perceptions of positive and negative socio-cultural impacts associated with heritage tourism. Findings reveal a predominantly positive socio-cultural impact perceived by residents, with certain facets demonstrating pronounced negativity, such as NSCI2, which is identified as having the most pronounced negative impact. Correlation analyses uncover significant positive associations between acceptance (A) and positive socio-cultural impact (PSCI), as well as between satisfaction (S) and PSCI, while a weak negative relationship is observed between A and negative socio-cultural impact (NSCI). Regression analysis underscores the pivotal role of PSCI in shaping community attitudes towards heritage tourism, with a robust unstandardized coefficient of 0.530 (SE = 0.048, t = 10.952, p < 0.001), signaling its importance in policy formulation and stakeholder decision-making. This study contributes nuanced insights essential for fostering sustainable heritage tourism development strategies that maximize positive socio-cultural impacts while mitigating negative repercussions, ultimately enhancing community well-being and fostering greater societal cohesion.