The United Kingdom Muslims' Perspectives Toward Tourism in Saudi Arabia After Hajj or Umrah

Abstract

Millions 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.