Classification of Tourism Potential in Al-Qaseem, Saudi Arabia Using GIS

310 Pages·2013·28.27 MB·English

Classification of Tourism Potential in
Al-Qaseem, Saudi Arabia Using GIS
Thesis submitted for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
at the University of Leicester
by
Mohammed Dakhil A. Aldakhil
Department of Geography
University of Leicester
April 2007
UMI Number: U494519
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Abstract
The demand for tourism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has increased and
received real attention since 2000. This can be seen through the establishment of the
Supreme Commission for Tourism (SCT). The SCT seeks to assess and develop the
tourism potential in the whole country considering all factors (spatial and non-spatial) that
influence tourism within KSA. This thesis examined the tourism potential in Al-Qaseem in
KSA. It sought to achieve two aims relating to the identification of the cultural and natural
tourist attractions and their distribution and the examination of how spatial relationships
impact on tourist potentials in the region.
Tourist site attractions in Al-Qaseem were identified through a questionnaire survey of two
samples: a main sample (teachers group) and non-probability sample (other groups) to lend
validity to findings of the main sample. The main results indicated that natural tourist
resources were more preferred for both males and females. It was also found that there
were 83 sites with tourist attractions in Al-Qaseem (61 cultural and 22 natural attractions).
The level of attraction of these sites identified showed that there were 29 very attractive
sites were (most of them are natural sites); 51 of medium attraction with 3 of slight
attraction. The gender variable, of the demographic variables considered, most influenced
the preferences of participants.
Geographical information systems (GIS) was used to analyse the spatial relationship
between tourist sites, services, population distribution and the road network to enable the
identification of tourist areas and tours. The results showed that there are 39 areas that have
tourist potentials varies in terms of tourist attractions (natural, cultural and historical), and
availability of services which can be accessed within specific times. The results indicated
that popular natural and historical areas have relatively poor accessibility and services. As
a result, the recommendation for this thesis is that development priority could be given to
these tourist areas. The examination of the road network with the distribution of tourist
sites in Al-Qaseem showed that the region has some potential to develop many tourist tours
for visiting both cultural and natural tourist sites.
II
Acknowledgements
All praise is due to Allah, most Gracious, most Merciful, for his help, blessing and
guidance which gave me the patience and endurance to accomplish this work.
My great thanks to my supervisors, Dr. Nicholas Tate for the effective guidance, valuable
advice, useful comments and continuous encouragement and support throughout the
process of conducting this research, and Dr Martin Phillips for his generous investment of
time, encouragement, suggestions and insightful counselling helped shape the directions
taken in this study
I would like also to thank all the people who agreed to participate in this research,
including the survey respondents, staff in the Administration of Educations for Girls and
Boys in Buraydah, Unayzah and Al-Methnab, Administration of Ministry of Municipality
of Rural Afar in Buraydah and all local Municipalities in Al-Qaseem, Supreme
Commission for Tourism in Riyadh. I would like to express my deep and sincere
appreciation to the many individuals and institutions who have given information and
assistance in order to make this thesis a reality.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Al-Emam Mohammad Bin Saud University,
for providing the scholarship and the assistance that enable me to carry on working this
study. Also, my great thanks go to my brother Ahmad Aldakhil and my friends Sultan Al-
Harbi and Abdulaziz Al-Fehaid for their help and encouragement.
My great appreciation goes to my father and mother for their moral support and prayers for
my success. For the most, I am specifically grateful to my wife for her patience and to my
children for their support and tolerance.
Ill
List of Abbreviations
KSA: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
MOE: Ministry of Education
GDP: Gross Domestic Product
GIS: Geographic Information System
SCT: Supreme Commission for Tourism
RS: Saudi Riyal
MOI: Ministry of Information
MOP: Ministry of Planning
NDP: National Development Plan
MMRA: Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs
WTO: World Tourism Organisation
WTTC: World Travel and Tourism Council
OECD: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
TRIP: Tourism and Recreation Information Package
USA: United State of America
TMP: Tourism Master Plan
R&D: Institute of Faculty of Architecture and Design, University of Zulia- Venezuela
SIGTUR: The Tourism Planning Geographic Information System
DTM: Digital Terrain Model
DSS: Decision Support System
US S: American Dollar
TDCs: Tourist Development Corporations
EIU: Economist Intelligence Unit Limited
SCCIC: Saudi Council of Commercial and Industrial Chambers
GPS: Global Position System
MOT: Ministry of Transportation
IDW: Inverse Distance Weighted.
SAPTCO: The Saudi Group Transportation Company
MTTZ: Minutes Travel Time Zone
MTTZs: Minutes Travel Time Zones
IV
Table of Contents
Abstract...................................................................................................II
Acknowledgements III
List of Abbreviations IV
Table of Contents V
List of Figures...................................................................................... IX
List of Tables XII
Chapter 1: Introduction......................................................................1
1.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................1
1.2 Importance of the Study..................................................................................2
1.3 Statement of the problem.................................................................................3
1.4 Research Aims and Objectives.......................................................................5
1.5 The Study Area.................................................................................................5
1.6 Choice of the Al-Qaseem region....................................................................7
1.7 Outline of the thesis..........................................................................................9
Chapter 2: Tourism Concepts.........................................................11
2.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................11
2.2 Tourism Definition.........................................................................................12
2.2.1 Technical Definition..............................................................................................13
2.2.2 Holistic Definition..................................................................................................14
2.2.3 Economic Definition.............................................................................................17
2.2.4 Overall Tourism Definitions...............................................................................17
2.3 Tourism System..............................................................................................18
2.3.1 The Leiper Model...................................................................................................19
2.3.1.1 Tourists...........................................................................................................19
2.3.1.2 Geographical Region...................................................................................20
2.3.1.3 The Tourism Industry..................................................................................21
2.4 Tourist resource attractions..........................................................................22
2.5 Using GIS in Tourism Planning and Development...................................25
2.5.1 GIS Applications in Tourism.............................................................................26
2.5.1.1 Tourism Resources Inventories (TRI)........................................................29
2.5.1.2 Location Suitability......................................................................................31
2.5.1.3 Measuring / Monitoring Tourism Impacts.................................................35
2.5.1.4 Visitor Management / Flows......................................................................36
2.5.1.5 Analysing Relationships Associated with Resource Use......................42
2.5.1.6 Assessing Potential Impacts of Tourism Development..........................43
2.5.1.7 GIS Techniques and Tourism.....................................................................45
2.6 Summary..........................................................................................................45
V
Chapter 3: Background of Tourism in the kingdom of 47
Saudi Arabia.................................................................47
3.1 Introduction....................................................................................................47
3.2 Early Studies and Development..................................................................47
3.3 Recent Trends.................................................................................................54
3.4 Characteristics of Tourism in KSA............................................................ 58
3.4.1 Factors Influencing Tourism in KSA.............................................................59
3.4.1.1 Islamic law.....................................................................................................59
3.4.1.2 Physical Factors............................................................................................60
3.4.1.3 Existence of Holy Religious Sites.............................................................61
3.4.1.4 Holiday System.............................................................................................61
3.4.1.5 Services and Facilities.................................................................................62
3.4.1.6 Social Aspects of Saudi Tourism...............................................................62
3.4.2 The Growth of Tourism Demand in KSA.....................................................63
3.4.3 Destination of Tourism Journeys....................................................................66
3.4.4 Length of Tourist Stay and Journey Purpose..............................................67
3.4.5 Education and Tourism......................................................................................68
3.5 Tourist Resource Attractions in KSA.........................................................68
3.5.1 Bi-classifications....................................................................................................70
3.5.2 Tri-classification....................................................................................................72
3.5.3 Descriptive Classification...................................................................................73
3.6 Summary..........................................................................................................79
Chapter 4: Research Methodology................................................81
4.1 Introduction....................................................................................................81
4.2 The Research Design.....................................................................................81
4.3 Primary Data Collection................................................................................85
4.3.1 Questionnaire Survey Design.............................................................................87
4.3.1.1 Level of preference of tourist site categories...........................................88
4.3.1.2 Tendency to travel and tourism..................................................................89
4.3.1.3 Level of tourist site attraction.....................................................................89
4.3.1.4 Demographic data.........................................................................................90
4.3.1.5 Translating the questionnaire......................................................................91
4.3.1.6 The study population...................................................................................91
4.3.1.7 Pilot study......................................................................................................92
4.3.1.8 Determination of the sample size..............................................................93
4.3.1.9 Choice of sampling technique....................................................................95
4.3.2 Preparation of Data for Statistical Analysis..................................................97
4.3.3 Questionnaire Data Analysis Techniques......................................................98
4.3.3.1 Reliability analysis........................................................................................98
4.3.3.2 Statistical analysis.........................................................................................99
4.4 Secondary data..............................................................................................100
4.4.1 Structuring the database for GIS application.............................................102
4.4.2 Road network data structure...........................................................................104
4.4.3 GIS Analysis.........................................................................................................107
4.4.4 Tourist Tour Design...........................................................................................113
4.5 Summary........................................................................................................115
VI
Chapter 5: Questionnaire Analysis............................................. 117
5.1 Introduction..................................................................................................117
5.2 Sample Characteristics................................................................................117
5.3 Evaluation of tourist site types attraction.................................................120
5.3.1 Demographic Factors and Tourist Site Type Preferences........................125
5.3.1.1 Gender...........................................................................................................126
5.3.1.2 Income..........................................................................................................127
5.3.1.3 Education levels..........................................................................................128
5.3.1.4 Age categories.............................................................................................129
5.4 Level of Attraction of Tourist Sites in Al-Qaseem...................................130
5.4.1 Means of Tourist Site Attraction....................................................................130
5.4.2 Demographic variables and tourist site ranking..........................................134
5.4.2.1 Gender and Ranking Tourist Sites...........................................................137
5.4.3 Correlation between Travel Times and Tourist Site Ranking................139
5.4.4 Frequency of Visits to Tourist Sites...............................................................141
5.5 Additional Tourist Sites...............................................................................143
5.6 Frequency of Sample Travelling...............................................................147
5.6.1 Holiday Frequencies where..............................................................................147
5.6.2 Length of stay.......................................................................................................148
5.6.3 Samples’ feelings towards going on holiday................................................149
5.7 Generalisation of Results............................................................................151
5.7.1 Non-probability Sample size............................................................................151
5.7.2 Non-probability sample analysis.....................................................................152
5.8 Summary........................................................................................................155
Chapter 6: The Potential for Tourism in Al-Qaseem, Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia (KSA)...............................................157
6.1 Introduction..................................................................................................157
6.2 State of the infrastructure in Al-Qaseem..................................................157
6.3 Distribution of services................................................................................161
6.3.1 Accommodation...................................................................................................163
6.3.2 Restaurants............................................................................................................165
6.3.3 Leisure centres.....................................................................................................166
6.3.4 Health care services............................................................................................167
6.3.5 Shopping Centres.................................................................................................169
6.3.6 Banks.......................................................................................................................171
6.3.7 Car Hire.................................................................................................................172
6.3.8 Travel agencies.....................................................................................................173
6.3.9 T ransportation.....................................................................................................174
6.4 Population density map...............................................................................176
6.5 Accessibility of Tourist Sites.....................................................................178
6.6 Identifying the potential of tourist locations............................................184
6.6.1 Natural Tourist Areas........................................................................................189
6.6.1.1 Al-Gabah Area.............................................................................................189
6.6.1.2 Amrah area...................................................................................................191
6.6.1.3 Natural tourist areas with high attraction and poor services................193
6.6.1.4 Natural tourist areas with medium attraction and poor services 195
6.6.2 Cultural Tourist Areas.......................................................................................195
6.6.2.1 Unayzah Tourist Area................................................................................196
6.6.2.2 Buraydah tourist area..................................................................................199
VII
6.6.2.3 Arras tourist area.......................................................................................201
6.6.2.4 Al-Bukairyah tourist area........................................................................204
6.6.2.5 Cultural tourist areas with low tourist potentials.................................206
6.6.3 Historical tourist attraction areas.................................................................207
6.6.3.1 Kaser Antarah tourist area.......................................................................207
6.6.3.2 Dam and Mared Palace tourist area.......................................................208
6.6.3.3 Old town of Uyoon Aljiwa tourist area................................................209
6.6.3.4 Historical locations with a lower tourist potentials.............................209
6.6.4 Overall tourist potential...................................................................................210
6.7 Tourist Tours...............................................................................................211
6.7.1 Tourist Tour of Natural Sites........................................................................217
6.7.2 Overall Tourist Tours Potential....................................................................219
6.8 Summary.......................................................................................................220
Chapter 7: Conclusion....................................................................222
7.1 Introduction..................................................................................................222
7.2 Research findings........................................................................................223
7.3 Contribution and implications of the Study............................................229
7.3.1 Tourist resources in Al-Qaseem....................................................................229
7.3.2 Utilization of GIS...............................................................................................230
7.4 Limitations of the study..............................................................................231
7.5 Recommendations.......................................................................................233
7.6 Future work...................................................................................................234
Bibliography........................................................................................236
Appendixes ........................................................................................264
VIII
List of Figures
Figure 1.1 Al-Qaseem region after Ministry of Higher Education (1999)............................6
Figure 1.2 The main cities within Al-Qaseem and their population.......................................7
Figure 1.3 The road network and airports in KSA after SCT (2002a)...................................8
Figure 1.4 Research design............................................................................................................9
Figure 2.1 Approaches to study tourism Cooper et al. (1998)................................................12
Figure 2.2 Tourism elements after Mathieson & Wall (1982, 1992)....................................16
Figure 2.3 The Leiper Model (Leiper 1990).............................................................................19
Figure 2.4 Identification of location suitability for tourism development based on...........31
Figure 2.5 Overlay procedure used to identify potential eco-tourism area (Boyd & Butler
1994) 33
Figure 2.6 Analysis procedure to identify equity of Parks services in Bryan, Texas........37
Figure 2.7 Services areas for Bryan neighbourhood parks according to the buffer zone and
network analysis (Nichols 2001).............................................................................37
Figure 2.8 Analysis procedure to determine time-space patterns for tourists (Knaap 1999)
.........................................................................................................................................39
Figure 2.9 The methodology framework of S1GTUR project (Mejia et al. 2000).............41
Figure 3.1. Tourist regions in the Gulf countries from Ritter (1989)....................................48
Figure 3.2 Two views of the Frantelat resort in Al-Baha (established in 1990)..................51
Figure 3.3 Tourism regions in KSA based on Al-Hijji (2000) classification......................52
Figure 3.4 National Tourism Planning Framework (SCT 2002a: 16)...................................55
Figure 3.5 Organisation of investment in tourism sector in KSA (SCT 2004d:22)...........57
Figure 3.6 Percentages of tourist journeys to KSA regions in 2002 and 2003 (SCT 2003b,
66
Figure 3.7 Tourism purposes in KSA (SCT 2003b).................................................................67
Figure 3.8 The distribution of tourist resource attractions in KSA (Al-Thagafy 1991:58).69
Figure 4.1 Methodology procedures of the study.....................................................................84
Figure 4.2 Distribution of tourist sites in Al-Qaseem..............................................................87
Figure 4.3 A-B Calculating the sample size.............................................................................94
(http://www.surveysystem.eom/sscalc.htm#factors).............................................94
Figure 4.4 Example data entered in SSPS.................................................................................97
Figure 4.5 The database structure for GIS analysis................................................................102
Figure 4.6 The editing task of correction errors in the road network..................................105
Figure 4.7 The road network attributes.....................................................................................107
Figure 4.8 Procedures and aims of accessibility and map overlay.......................................112
Figure 4.9 Querying technique in Access to identify start points for tourist touring.......114
Figure 5.1 Sample educational levels.......................................................................................118
Figure 5.2 Distribution of residential locations of the sample in Al-Qaseem...................120
Figure 5.3 Frequency distribution of ranking tourist site types............................................122
Figure 5.4 Distribution of recreation scores with age categories........................................128
Figure 5.5 Preference means of tourist site types with significant differences between
education levels..........................................................................................................128
Figure 5.6 Preference means of tourist site types with significance differences between age
categories.....................................................................................................................129
Figure 5.7 Part of the top two preferred sites for respondents (Fieldwork 2004)...............132
Figure 5.8 Males and females means ranking of tourist sites in Al-Qaseem.......................137
Figure 5.9 Travel time distribution to natural and cultural tourist sites..............................140
Figure 5.10 The shortest travel times from Buraydah to tourist sites...................................141
Figure 5.11 Panorama of Al-Jradah Market in Buraydah (Alhuaymel 2007)...................142
Figure 5.12 The means of visits and the mean rankings of tourist sites in Al-Qaseem.... 143
IX