Attracting International Tourists In Neom City: Challenges And Opportunities

Abstract

NEOM City is a futuristic project of a mega-city that has impressive natural and artificial sites and runs on renewable energy. The Saudi government plans to turn it into one of the world’s most popular destinations for international travelers. The first sites of NEOM City are about to be opened for tourists; therefore, debates over the future of this place are becoming even more topical. The current study is dedicated to a critical investigation of the challenges that might prevent NEOM City from turning into a major tourist hub. It sought to identify the most important factors shaping the tourist attractiveness of NEOM City, determine the main challenges that could prevent tourists from visiting this place, and suggest strategies for turning NEOM City into a popular destination for foreign tourists. The study used a quantitative research methodology. Two surveys were conducted among travelers who have recently visited Saudi Arabia (n=135) and tourist employees involved in ongoing projects in NEOM City (n=71). The study’s results indicate that a combination of man-made and natural attractions is likely to become the key driver of the city’s tourist attractiveness. The significance of cultural attractions, facilities, customer service, and accessibility and infrastructure also is evident. Employees and tourists provided contradictory data on the importance of sustainability, pricing, and destination image in attracting more visitors. The research illustrates that a potential failure to complete certain project deliverables properly, competition with other destinations, low awareness, and weather conditions are among the main challenges that can prevent NEOM City from succeeding as a major tourist hub. A critical discussion of these factors is followed by the presentation of practical recommendations for facilitating the transformation of NEOM City into one of the most popular destinations for international travelers.