Exploring the Role of Digital Marketing in Promoting Cultural Tourism in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This dissertation critically examines the role of digital marketing in promoting cultural tourism in Saudi Arabia, focusing on three heritage sites: the National Museum, Al-Ahsa Oasis, and Masmak Palace. The research was driven by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, which identifies cultural tourism as a key driver of economic diversification and cultural diplomacy. The study aims to evaluate how digital marketing strategies enhance awareness, shape perceptions, and influence tourists’ intention to visit cultural sites. Guided by a positivist philosophy and a deductive approach, the study employed an explanatory research design with a structured survey distributed to 201 respondents. Quantitative methods were applied, including reliability and validity testing, descriptive statistics, correlation, and hierarchical regression analyses using SPSS. The conceptual framework integrated the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and Segmentation Theory, and Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC), with digital literacy tested as a moderating variable. The findings revealed that perceived website quality, social media campaigns, and user-generated content (UGC) all significantly and positively influence tourists’ intention to visit Saudi cultural sites. Among these, UGC emerged as the most influential, underscoring the authenticity and credibility of peer recommendations. Digital literacy strengthens the relationship between digital marketing strategies and visit intention, though its overall moderating effect is modest. These results highlight both opportunities—such as leveraging digital platforms to target younger, tech-savvy tourists—and challenges, including addressing gaps in digital literacy. The study contributes theoretically by extending traditional technology adoption models with a moderating perspective of digital literacy and practically by offering recommendations for policymakers and tourism practitioners. To maximise impact, strategies should focus on enhancing website usability, promoting interactive social media campaigns, and encouraging user-generated content, while simultaneously addressing digital literacy gaps to broaden inclusivity.