Understanding Tourists’ Motivations: The Case of Al Baha Mountainous Region in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Motivations are critical factors in understanding tourists’ behaviors in relation to destination choice; they relate to needs, goals, and preferences. Extensive research on this topic has been documented in the literature. However, there are few empirical studies on ecotourist cities in mountainous regions that are facing an increasing number of challenges due to the cost of infrastructure development. Attention to tourists’ motivational factors in ecotourist cities is critical for specifying their needs and preferences when drawing up future urban policies to develop ecotourist areas. In this study, the variables that influence tourists’ motivations, and their likelihood of revisiting those areas, were analyzed. The principal results show the significant role of accommodation locations and marketing in attracting visitors to ecotourist areas. These findings suggest that private and public sectors should invest in tourists’ residential development with a high level of accessibility and views. Moreover, tourist advertisements should be given more attention, especially on social media platforms.

Keywords

• tourism planning
• planning for mountain areas
• tourism investment
• ecotourist
• tourists’ motivations