Why I Want to Study at the University in Order to Receive a Phd in Tourism - Research Proposal Example

PhD Essay I would like to study at the in order to receive a PhD in Tourism. This is an activity that is very important to me, especiallyin Saudi Arabia. Many people do not know that it is a rising tourist attraction. My Masters degree is in Tourism and I would like to continue these studies at a higher level. Tourism is very interesting to me because it deals with many factors. There are internal as well as external factors that an individual must understand if they are working in this industry. I would like to have my own tourism company eventually so I want to understand as much as I can about tourism. In my Masters degree, I am able to do preliminary research on tourism and bring it to a specific point. For my PhD I would like to take it future. Some of the things I learned in my Masters included the fact that fact that tourism in Saudi Arabia has brought great benefits to the country. Tourism has led to a better understanding between many different types of people. When people come together in a different country, they are able to mix well, regardless of backgrounds, religious affiliations or cultures. Tourists come to a country to have an opportunity to relax and learn about different cultures. They take in the ambiance, the foods and the customs of that country. Saudi Arabia has always been a good place to go for understanding new cultures. Tourism can also have negative challenges in the country. As an example, environmental challenges can happen when people who do not understand the country are visiting. They can also disregard national and traditions of nationals. Often, sand dunes and pollution can create problems for the environment. All of these are issues that I would like to explore and study at a deeper level. Saudi Arabia has a harsh desert climate and can experience extreme temperatures, which means that most people will visit only four months of the year: mid-April, February, November and October. I would like to find out whether there is something that we can do that will create tourism all year round. My interest in tourism goes back to an interest that I had as a child. I have liked travel as an adult because I enjoy meeting people and helping them. As an Arabian man, I know that there can be stereotypes with some foreigners who may come to my country and there can be challenges because of misunderstandings. I want to complete my PhD in this area so that I can understand more about the global market and how people interact with Saudis. I have a thirst for knowledge in this area and that is why I want to continue to do it on a deeper level. According to the information I have found in your course guides, I find that what you are offering for a PhD program would be important to my studies. I am particularly interested in how I can develop my project farther within your curriculum. I look forward to becoming a PhD candidate for your university. Aims & Objectives 1. To identify key local and regional developments, trends and changes that might impact the tourism industry of Saudi Arabia. 2. To identify the factors that affect tourism in Saudi Arabia 3. To examine industry attitudes and consumer behaviour towards Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry Research Background I have researched this topic as part of my Masters degree and I am finding that tourism is a very important aspect on a global level. I am particularly interested in the Middle East and more specifically Saudi Arabia as a country and kingdom. With reference to the description of tourism, this research will adopt a less strict definition of tourism and as such will accept those visiting the country even on non-leisure missions as tourists. This means that religious tourism, leisure tourism and business tourism will all be considered in the study without any bias. A further development of the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia depends on several factors. The establishment of these factors and people’s attitudes towards the sector will help the government of Saudi Arabia and other stakeholders to make necessary changes within the sector and to respond adequately to regional developments and changes that affect the industry. I would like to continue my work at a PhD level because I felt that further research would be important to the future of Saudi Arabia, especially after things settle there. People are curious about what it has to offer as a tourist attraction and I believe I would be able to assist in creating more tourism opportunity. Methodology My methodology for the PhD program would be similar to what I have done in the Masters program. In the Masters program I Applied well recognized research methods during research is of paramount importance if the true state of the field must be noted. This section will be mainly devoted to discussing how the study will be conducted. Since tourism in Saudi Arabia is a wide industry, the research will be conducted through sampling and by consulting secondary sources of data such as journals, books, and websites belonging to well recognized persons. In order to collect primary data, the research will be conducted by using questionnaires. Respondents who will consist of tourists, government officials, and business people in the tourism sector and nationals that live around tourist attraction sites will be given questionnaires specifically desired for the study. Respondents will be of good age; adults according to the laws of Saudi Arabia. This will go a long way in avoiding cases that may arise in dealing with minors. Since participants will come from different parts of the world, it is noted that they will be speaking different languages. The questionnaire will be translated into as many languages as possible to enable respondents participate effectively. Respondents shall only participate out of free will and without any form of compulsion or coercion. The raw data mined from the field shall be kept secret from third parties in accordance with international standards of doing research. Also, respondents will not be required to provide their personal identifications. In order to ensure that the survey runs smoothly, adequate preparations shall be done in good time and according to the time schedule. Also, all permissions and authorizations will be sought way in advance before the actual survey begins. Since the research is relatively broad, the time allocated for its execution will be three months. In general the survey will be conducted in line with international standards of doing research. In view of the three objectives of the research, respondents will be required to suggest local and regional developments and trends that they could have noted to impact Saudi Arabia’s tourism market. Respondents shall also be required to note factors that affect the sector and weight them accordingly using a scale of 1-5 with 1 carrying most weight and 5 carrying the least. Participants will also note their attitudes and behaviours towards the tourism industry. A similar scale to that mentioned above shall be used for different variables. Key References References that I will be using include the Internet, Tourism organizations that currently have done studies on tourism in this market, global tourist organizations and several books and other publications. Read More