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Comparing AlUla and The Red Sea Saudi Arabia’s Giga Projects on Tourism towards a Sustainable Change in Destination Development

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  • Lorenzo David Filippi

    (Ph.D. Department of Architecture ‘Teorie e Progetto’, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy)

  • Silvia Mazzetto

    (Department of Architecture, SALab Sustainable Architecture Lab, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh 12435, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

This paper examines architecture for tourism, focusing on destination design. In the past forty years, tourism destinations and their impact have been affected and transformed by emerging topics such as the impact of social media and the necessity of sustainable indicators in the tourism industry. In the global panorama of ongoing tourism transformations, Saudi Arabia has recently established new governmental opening regulations that started in 2019 for visitors and tourist visa entry. The country is facing a rapidly transforming economy, and new destinations for tourism will impact the country’s growth in the coming years as part of the Sustainable Destination Program in alignment with the ambitious targets of the Saudi National Vision 2030. The adopted methodology of the study compares selected parameters of two significant Saudi Arabian case studies, AlUla and The Red Sea Project (TRSP), for the ongoing sustainable tourism destination development of planned tourist giga projects. According to the findings, AlUla and TRSP demonstrated an intense commitment to sustainable tourism through their efforts concerning protected areas, environmentally friendly transport, and significant rewilding and reforestation. The research’s conclusion emphasizes Saudi Arabia’s commitment to innovative thinking, long-term growth, and sustainable tourism. The study’s implication is primarily suited for destination design; it suggests potential applicability even in smaller-scale tourism development projects or additional comparisons in sustainability design approaches in diverse contexts, particularly in the MENA region.

Suggested Citation

  • Lorenzo David Filippi & Silvia Mazzetto, 2024. "Comparing AlUla and The Red Sea Saudi Arabia’s Giga Projects on Tourism towards a Sustainable Change in Destination Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:5:p:2117-:d:1350828
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nikola Bošković & Milica Vujičić & Lela Ristić, 2020. "Sustainable tourism development indicators for mountain destinations in the Republic of Serbia," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(22), pages 2766-2778, November.
    2. Federica Maietti, 2023. "Heritage Enhancement through Digital Tools for Sustainable Fruition—A Conceptual Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-17, July.
    3. Samuele Marinello & Maria Angela Butturi & Rita Gamberini & Umberto Martini, 2023. "Indicators for sustainable touristic destinations: a critical review," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 66(1), pages 1-30, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sara Sampieri & Mohammed Bagader, 2024. "Sustainable Tourism Development in Jeddah: Protecting Cultural Heritage While Promoting Travel Destination," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-24, October.

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