Developing Smart Cities in Saudi Arabia. promoting innovation and evaluating smart initiatives. The case study of Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

To date, the main focus of Smart City development has been in North America and Western Europe. The development of Smart Cities in other geographies has received more limited attention. This study seeks to help address this imbalance by focusing on the development of Smart Cities in the context of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, with a focus on Saudi Arabia and the city of Jeddah in particular. By focusing upon a single city case study, the research explores how related Smart City technologies are being used, seeks to understand the implications these have for planning policies and municipal activities, and elicits information from the public about their views of Smart City developments. The study aims to contribute to the emerging literature on Smart City development, paying particular attention to the currently understudied area of how such approaches will be impacted by and have impacts upon current and emerging policy drivers in Saudi Arabia, such as Saudi Vision 2030. Primary data collection was undertaken in two distinct phases. Firstly, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a range of national and municipal-level stakeholders representing public and private sector interests. Secondly, a questionnaire survey, administered online, elicited attitudes and opinions about Smart Cities and their development in Saudi Arabia from a sample of the city of Jeddah’s resident population. The study revealed that Jeddah's smart practices show a real commitment to Smart Cities concept. Significant attention has been given to smart initiatives in relation to governance, environment, living, and economy, but smart mobility and community participation require more work. The study concluded with a list of recommendations designed to provide guidance for Jeddah's promotion towards becoming a Smart City. These recommendations can be extended to other Saudi and GCC cities.