Developing Tourism Product in Souq Waqif - Essay Example

Developing Tourism Product In Souq Waqif 1T3A Group: Abdelhman Moussa Abraham S. Thazhathoot Dan Musinguzi Introduction Although approximatelyhalf of all international arrivals are still received by just ten (principally developed) nations, many new destinations have claimed a place on the international tourism map while numerous more distant, exotic places have, in recent years, enjoyed a rapid increase in tourism. Indeed throughout the past decade the East Asia Pacific & Middle east regions have witnessed the highest and most sustained growth in arrivals globally while in particular, a number of least developed countries (LDCs), including Cambodia Myanmar, Samoa and Tanzania, have experienced higher than the world average growth in tourism (UNCTAD 2001). Such is the global scale of tourism that the WTO currently publishes annual tourism statistics for around 200 countries. Reflection of this dramatic growth in scale and scope, tourism’s global economic contribution has also become increasingly significant. There are four critical stages through which a tourism product is created in a destination. These stages include: a) The initial stage: this is where the tourists find the motivation and urge to travel. b) The basis stage: resources and attractions are the basis of a destination. Therefore, it is in this stage that tourists choose their destinations. c) Creation process: this process requires not only the existence or creation of infrastructures, facilities and services but also the development of specific activities or experiences. The result of the process can be seen as the tourism supply of a destination. d) The communication stage: once tourism supply is created, there will be functional and emotional benefits that can be communicated to markets and target audiences through the creation of an image and the correct positioning. The values provided by the product should also be communicated and promoted to stimulate consumption. After the four stages, there is the final stage which is the result stage. It is in this stage that the consumption of tourism products in a destination is done by the tourists or buyers of the product. It is important to note that tourist destinations contribute a lot of revenues to their respective owners. For this reason, it is imperative that all such destinations are guarded against barriers that would hinder the coming and subsequent staying of tourists. One such pace that needs urgent rethinking is the Souq Waqif which is an impressive tourist destination but is however faced with the problem of inadequate parking space. More and more tourists would like to visit this destination but the problem of parking space is a major hindrance to their coming. This paper therefore provides a comprehensive discussion on the techniques and procedures that can be adopted in this destination for it to be marketed as an impressive tourism product. Description of the problem statement Tourists always overcrowd Souq Waqif whci makes them feel uncomfortable and therefore they cannot experience the authenticity and the tradition this destination. This menace can be addressed by the increase of parking spaces available for the tourists. This research primarily focuses on developing and expanding the parking area as this is one of the main concern for the tourists who visit Souq Waqif. If the problem at this destination is not addressed it can create a huge crowding of tourists in this impeccable destination which can project to a negative image of the destination. Problem statement: According to the recent research conducted in Souq Waqif, nearly all tourists complain of lack of parking spaces for their cars. For this reason, expanding the parking area to satisfy the tourist needs is a tourism product that can be developed in Souq Waqif. The research also revealed that parking area is the most important tourism product that needs to be added in SouqWaqif. Literature review 1 Gore, 2006 Gore (2006) explains in his book that the research on product development continues to grow day by day. This literature explains that product development, in not just hospitality and tourism but also other fields, is categorized in three streams which are; product development as rational plan, communication web, and disciplined problem solving. Secondly the research findings are modified into a model of factors affecting the success of product development. In summary, this model highlights the difference in processes between product effectiveness and process performance. Lastly, it also indicates the potential paths for future research based on the links and models that are missing from the primary model and that need to be defined appropriately. The book also critically analyses policies designed to encourage a community focus in urban heritage tourism projects. The city of Birmingham, UK, is taken as a case study for the purposes of this study. There is an examination of an initiative aimed at increasing the potential of the city as a leisure tourism destination. A specific analysis is undertaken of the development of an industrial heritage attraction located in the inner city’s multi-ethnic neighborhood. Issues discussed include how to develop a heritage tourism product which achieves a balance between economic and social goals. Also discussed is how to develop a heritage tourism which is socially inclusive and recognizes the needs of minority ethnic groups and how to develop industrial heritage within the post-industrial context and incorporate a new European identity (Gore, 2006). Another good example is the sustainable tourism development in the town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado and the surrounding areas. Based on a study of present land-use procedures and recent projects, a set of qualitative indices, supported by public opinion, and are found to determine the acceptable level of development in the area. These results may have applications to other amenity-rich recreation destinations with important tourism facilities. According to these statistics, it is worth noting that the development of tourism product can take any shape so long as it contributes to the betterment of a given destination as a recognized and visited tourist destination. Literature review 2 Addison and William, 1996 Addison and William, (1996) suggested in their article that the cultural tourist consist of two important types. These are the specialized and general types. What the general cultural tourist does is visit the different geographic sites as a hobby. Overtime, their knowledge about the different culture increases and become specialized cultural tourist whose main focus is on one or two small numbers of cultural entities or geographical sites. However, what the specialized tourist does is to repeatedly visit a specific region, city or country in search of a broader and understanding of the culture of the place. Alternatively, these tourists also go in search of exemplars in different cities, regions or countries for art, history festival or museums. For this reason, these two types of cultural tourists always want to avoid the commercial ventures that they find themselves in. As such, Souq Waqif becomes a good example of a tourist destination that tourists would typically avoid because of the congestion experienced at the place. Literature review 3 Jefferson, 2012 The generic production begins with the production of raw inputs that progress through intermediate inputs and outputs, to final outputs or the tourists’ experience. The conceptual model should be considered a potentially important contribution in the debate about tourism products are fundamental experiences that needs to be developed exponentially (Sanchez, 2012). Tourism is becoming an increasingly important sector affecting many countries economically. The book by Jefferson (2012) provides a practical guide to understand the effective marketing of tourism in today s modern world. It examines different essential elements that go into the development of a tourism destination successfully. Various strategies and polices are described including the principles of implementing and developing marketing plans based on research and product market match analyses that are clearly outlined (Jefferson, 2012). According to Jefferson, different methods of assessing performance are given and the need for operations and objectives are to be regularly developed. This work emphasizes on the vital importance of the destination itself and its visitor satisfactions as the essence of developing a tourism product and the common denominator linking the tourist trades and the destination service interest together (Jefferson, 2012). They are interdependent even if independent and competitive; to make the tourism industry or the tourism marketing successful it requires a thorough understanding of this fact as the basis for successful and profitable joint marketing. While many of the examples of operation are taken from the UK, many of the case studies and statistics relate to the international field. Although international action is more difficult and more complex than the domestic market functions, the same guidelines are used for applying practices domestically as well as internationally (Jefferson, 2012). Literature review 4 Culbertson, K., D. Turner, and J. Kolberg The development of a tourism product is important in creating an additional package to the already existing packages of a tourist destination. This process assists in ensuring that the maximum potential of a tourist destination is harnessed with the aim of achieving maximum revenue from the ventures found in the destination. According to Culbertson et al, thinks as insignificant as parking spaces can play an imperative role in promoting a tourism product. As such, the absence of parking space in Souq Waqif poses a great threat to the development to of sustainable tourism in the region. Culbertson et al discuss the development of sustainable development in the Yampa Valley of Colorado. The book provides a comprehensive discussion on the manner in which the valley can be transformed into an international tourist destination. It provides a number of recommendations including the marketing of the region as not only a tourist destination but also a place that embraces research and development-related undertakings (Culbertson, Turner, & Kolberg, 1993). According to the authors of the book, the development of sustainable tourism is not only the duty of the tourism and hotel industries but the duty of all the inhabitants of the region. They assert that this should be the case because when a region is marketed as an impressive tourism destination, not only does the tourism industry thrive but also the community at large (Culbertson, Turner, & Kolberg, 1993). Conceptual module Figure 1 From the above conceptual framework, it can be noted that the development of a sustainable tourism product in a destination leads to the motivation of tourists to visit the destination. Subsequently, tourists then make the final decision to visit the tourism destination thereby making it possible for the tourism and hospitality facilities in found in the destination to realize profits from sales of goods and services. This is followed by a continued attraction of more tourists to the destination because the previous tourists play a part in marketing the place as a good destination. The connection between the conceptual framework and Souq Waqif Souq Waqif is considered as one of the most significant Souqs in Doha. It is also called the ‘standing market. This shopping place is famous for selling spices, traditional garments, souvenirs and handcrafts. It is home to dozens of shisha lounges and restaurants that serve dishes from all over the world. Although this market dates back at least a hundred years, it was recently torn down and rebuilt in traditional architectural styles. It is now considered one of the top tourist destinations within Doha. The market in Doha is new, but it was built to look old. Souq Waqif was formerly a spot where the Badu brought sheep, goats, wool and other things to trade. It was nearly demolished when it was decided that the place would be renovated to resemble a 19th-century Souq. As of late, Souq waqif has become the main destination for workshops and art galleries. The destination host several events and art galleries that attract many tourists. During the holiday season Souq Waqif also hosts local concerts in the area. Location and accessibility Souq Waqif is located at the Centre of Doha, between Al Rayyan Road and Musherib Street. Tourists visiting the place from abroad can get to the place from the airport which is only a one hour drive to the destination. From the cornice, the Souq Waqif is only a walking distance and this is an indication that visitors can reach the place on foot. Souq waqif is accessible easily from many of the major destinations in Doha because of the superb road networks and its proximity to the shores of the ocean which is conducive for guests wishing to travel by ships and boats. Restaurants The restaurants and hotels found in this region serve international cuisines because of the fat that this destination attracts guests from different parts of the world. However, some restaurants also sere local cuisines that is indigenous to Souq Waqif. Most of the restaurants serve Shisha, as well as a variety of other foods. There are also small cafés which are scattered across the coats of the ocean. Locals also sell famous indigenous foods in small food outlets. These small food outlets serve local ice cream parlors, as well as beverage stands can also be found. It is also important to note that Souq Waqif is served by three three-star rated hotels. These hotels are simple but well furnished with modern equipments. Their accommodation services conform to international standards and it is for this reason that the region attracts a wide range of guests. These hotels include: a) Hotel Souq Waqif b) Bismillah Hotel (The first hotel in Qatar) with only 2 luxury rooms c) Al-Khariss Hotel SouqWaqif Art Centre The Souq waqif art Centre is located in Qatar, which is close to the wholesale market or fish market. The art Centre basically includes a selection of small artistic shops that contains many exhibition rooms that are kept in a long narrow courtyard. Outside the exhibition rooms there are rare sculptures and chests. The exhibitions in the art Centre have mainly included the Islamic Arts. This exhibition projects the calligraphy that was used during the ancient times that dates back centuries. The Souq waqif was also used as a destination for filming a number of films that were screened at the Doha Tribeca film festival 2009. One of the film directed here was the action film ‘Dohard’ which was directed by Dean Alexandrou and Masato Riesser, and produced by Waheed khan, and ‘The Haggler’ directed and produced by the DTFF. hey also sell many kinds of pets such as parrots and many types of birds, cats, dogs, birds, chicks, fish, rabbets, turtles, sea snakes, hamsters and many others . Methodology This section of the study contains the procedures for data collection, analysis and presentation. It also includes the manner in which subject or respondents for the research were gotten and how the research was conducted to achieve the desired results. Respondents of the study The respondents of the study were selected randomly at Souq Waqif. The random selection, however, was restricted to the tourists who had come to visit the destination. Random selection of respondents was an indication that both male and female, young and old tourists were randomly selected to participate in the study. A total of 100 respondents were selected for the purposes of this study. Data collection Data was collected through interviews. The respondents were interviewed one by one as their responses were written down for future reference. Limitations of the study Not all respondents would be willing to take part in the study Some respondents would give biased information Since interviews would be used to collect data, there would be not measure of the degree of agreement or disagreement because the answers would either be no or yes Many interview questions would discourage the respondents The objectives of the interview questions To analyze the visitor comments and expectations To understand visitors opinion about parking area To analyze the future development for Souq Waqif Interview Questions What facilities and services need to be introduced in Souq Waqif to improve the visitor experience? What are the visitor s comments and expectations of souq waqif at present? What is the visitor s opinion about the idea of expanding the parking area? What new steps can be done for Souq Waqif in the long run? To understand the facilities and services required in SouqWaqif. What are the best facilities that you can find in a tourism attraction? What kind of services do you search for while visiting any tourism attraction? What attracts you to visit a place? What do you expect to find or get when you visit a tourism attraction? What is your opinion about the parking area at Souq Waqif at present? What do you think needs to be done for the improvement of the parking area? Do you think healthcare is important in a cultural heritage place? Why? Does a cultural heritage place need restaurants or shops? If yes, then what kind of restaurants and shops? What should be done to make a tourism attraction memorable to you? Result and analysis I. What facilities and services need to be introduced in Souq Waqif to improve the visitor experience? There were a lot of opinions and ideas when conducting the interview. Several questions were asked around the services, facilities and the quality of the place. The interviewees were asked about what facilities they would like to see introduced at Souq Waqif in order to enhance their experience while visiting the fort, majority of the response were that the environment around it must be improved while few of them suggested that it must have more space that needs to be developed so to prevent overcrowding. Another interesting question was what kinds of services were needed by Souq Waqif in order to gain experience while visiting the place. Most of them wanted some restaurants. Specifically, they said traditional restaurants that served Qatari food. They claimed that it was a cultural heritage place. Some also wanted shops for souvenirs so they could always remember their experience at the destination. They also prefered to have some tour guides in order to help them around and tell them more about Souq Waqif. In conclusion, when the interviewees were asked about their opinion on the current services and facilities at Souq Waqif, all of them said that they were to be improved so that tourists would come visit it and get to experience Qatar’s culture and give them a motive to come back again to visit it and get that experience again. II. What are the visitors’ comments and expectations of Souq Waqif at present? The interviewees were asked what came to their minds when they thought of Souq Waqif and they said an overcrowded place while some said there were no spaces to park their cars because they had to wait in the cars for hours. In order to learn more about tourists opinions on what they thought about Souq Waqif as a tourists attraction, the responds were asked to give their views in relation Qatar as a whole. They confessed to care more about entertainments as compared to attraction sites and hospitality. Furthermore, majority of the interviewees believed that the government would demolish the place and rebuild new buildings. Most of them were, however, against this opinion since Souq Waqif is a cultural and traditional site. III. What is the visitor’s opinion about the idea of expanding the parking area? Several questions were asked to the interviewees who had visited the cultural places. For instance, they were asked about what attracted them to visit Souq Waqif and the most common response was that the culture of Qatar had attracted them as well as its history. IV. What new steps can be done for Souq Waqif in the long run? This question helped in analyzing the different investors contributing to the development of the golf cart and identifying the target groups. The research focused on sustainability. As a result, the interviewees were asked several questions on what could be done to improve Souq Waqif and maintain its generation the regular flow of tourists. Some of them said to improve parking area and to add more entertainments in it. Another question that the interviewees were asked was what were the things that would motivate them as tourists to visit the same location again. Majority said shops some said the means of entertainment while the others said events. The interviewees were then asked on what could be done to make Souq Waqif memorable. The majority of the interviewees believed that the place must have something to offer as a product that would enhance their experience and would make their journey to the place worthwhile. They gave some suggestions such as better surrounding, building facilities that would complement the value of the place and also hiring several tour guides to show around the place. Research Method The research method that was used in the research was interview question. This method helps in analyzing the different likes and dislikes of the tourists and obtaining specific information which are crucial for the analyzing of research. This method can help in developing Golf cart into a product more suitable for the tourists that are suited as the target group. We have used a survey type interview which means we asked the tourists who visit Souq Waqif for the first time and ask for their opinions regarding the idea of a new tourism product. Then we will be doing content analysis for the development of the tourism product. For this research we have also analyzed the trustworthiness of Qualitative research. Trustworthiness of a research study is important to evaluating its worth. Trustworthiness involves establishing: I. Credibility - confidence in the truth of the findings. II. Transferability - showing that the findings have applicability in other contexts. III. Dependability - showing that the findings are consistent and could be repeated. IV. Conformability - a degree of neutrality or the extent to which the findings of a study are shaped by the respondents and not researcher bias, motivation, or interest. Interview Questions In your opinion, what facilities would you like to see introduced Souq Waqif in order to enhance your experience while visiting the souq? What is your opinion on the current facilities provided at Souq Waqif? What immediacies come to your mind when I mention the words Souq Waqif? Please share with me your personal opinions, attitudes towards Souq Waqif as tourist attractions? How do you perceive (or what are your perceptions towards Souq Waqif as a tourist attraction. How do you see the FUTURE of Souq Waqif as a tourist attraction? What attracts you to visit SouqWaqif? What advertisement channels should the management of Souq Waqif use in order to attract more and quality tourists to the Souq? Any additional information/comments on Souq Waqif are most welcome. Summary of the study In your opinion, what facilities would you like to see introduced Souq Waqif in order to enhance your experience while visiting the souq? Respondent 1: Restaurants that would serve traditional food, and some traditional shops. Respondent 2: Tour guides that would help in giving brief information about the history of the destination and help in connecting with the past. Respondent 3: Souvenir shops and a parking lot to accommodate the vehicles. Respondent 4: Better transport facilities to the location, restaurants that serve traditional cuisines and shops that sell the history of Qatar as a souvenir. What is your opinion on the current facilities provided at Souq Waqif? Respondent 1: Poor, they lack the basic facilities such as proper washrooms, food facilities, parking spaces and also no health care services. Respondent 2: They are not bad but they can be improved, specially the parking lot, to attract more tourists they need a better parking lot to accommodate their vehicles. Respondent 3: There are no restaurants and no one to guide you and give you information about the destination. Respondent 4: The facilities are good but it can be better with some traditional shops around it.What immediacies come to your mind when I mention the words Souq Waqif? Respondent 1: An Overcrowded place Respondent 2: A small souq at the heart of the city Respondent 3: A souq projecting the value and heritage of Qatar Respondent 4: A peaceful place one must go to spend some quality time due to its location. Please share with me your personal opinions, attitudes towards Souq Waqif as tourist attractions? Respondent 1: It needs some improvements such as better sanitary facilities as well as restaurants. Respondent 2: Better parking space and shops you can buy traditional goods from. Respondent 3: The place has a potential of being one of the top attractions of Qatar if only it is marketed properly and a few more facilities are built. Respondent 4: Souq waqif is a peaceful place with no one miles and miles around, but, that is scary if a tourist runs into an accident, due to its location emergency support would not be able to reach on time, so I would recommend some Healthcare facilities. How do you perceive (or what are your perceptions towards Souq Waqif as a tourist attraction. Respondent 1: It’s the kind of attraction that you would like to visit only once. Respondent 2: It’s a small museum with no proper facilities at all that is located not far from the city. Respondent 3: You can hardly notice anyone at the destination and that is kind of scary, they should plan some ways of attracting more tourists before the destination becomes obsolete. Respondent 4: Calm place to often visit during the weekends to relax the mind from the day to day stress. It would be a perfect destination if it had some tour guides How do you see the FUTURE of Souq Waqif as a tourist attraction? Respondent 1: The way it’s moving, it hard to see any future for the destination. Respondent 2: A fort surrounded by Restaurants, shops, tourists from all around the globe. Respondent 3: A couple of restaurants complimenting the area with traditional shops that you find in SouqWaqif. Respondent 4: Many tourists visiting the destination and spending some quality time with their families and friends. What attracts you to visit Souq Waqif? Respondent 1: The architecture of the Souq. Respondent 2: The unique look of the Souq. Respondent 3: The opportunity to learn more about Qatar s heritage site and its culture. Respondent 4: The location. What advertisement channels should the management of Souq Waqif use in order to attract more and quality tourists to the Souq? Respondent 1: Social media, it is widely used worldwide and it can be the best possible way to communicate and attract the quality tourists. Respondent 2: Social media and advertisements on billboards. Respondent 3: Advertisements in magazines, books, and newspapers. Respondent 4: Social media, such as Facebook, and magazines, both digital and paperback. Final interview question: Any additional information/comments on Souq Waqif are most welcome. Respondent 1: The destination needs some serious improvements if it plans to stand strong the increasing competitive market. Respondent 2: The destination needs to plan some ways in improving the quality of service that is offered to the tourists. Respondent 3: They need to re-plan their goals and objectives into sustainable goals and objectives that would help SouqWaqifsurvive for a long term period. Respondent 4: They need to add a parking lot nearby and several restaurants and shops. Limitations of our research Qualitative studies play a vital role in the development of our product. These studies have various types of limitations that they face. The limitations of qualitative studies are: 1) The volume of data made in a qualitative study makes it hard for its analysis and interpretation which is time consuming. As a way of avoiding this limitation, we ensured data collected was analyzed in bits in order to keep the volumes low. 2) The quality of the research is heavily dependent on the skills of the individual doing the research and can be more easily influenced by the researcher’s personal biases. In order to avoid this limitation, only skilled interviewers were sent to the field and the consequences of biasness were communicated to them before the research. 3) The findings found during the research can be more difficult to present in a visual way 4) Data analysis is often time consuming therefore, we ensured that we allocated enough time for both the collection and analysis of data. Conclusion From the data we gathered we can conclude that developing a tourism product, in this case the expansion of the parking area, is an integral part in the long run of Souq Waqif. As we have mentioned in the research it is clear that the interviewees are all frustrated about the lack of parking available for the tourists. Through the research it is clear that the tourists’ comfort can be very beneficial for Souq Waqif in keeping it valued as a cultural and traditional destination. This can profit the restaurants and shops in Souq Waqif. Lastly it can reduce one of the main problems that Souq Waqif faces which is congestion that creates accidents and serious injuries. Therefore, from all these we can conclude that parking area is a vital product for the development of Souq Waqif. We recommend, from the data we gathered, that the development of parking area is important. The secondary products that need to be taken into account include building a health centre in readiness for any emergencies. The employment of tour guides is also an important recommendation for Souq Waqif. In conclusion therefore, it is projected that the number of tourists visiting the Souq Waqif will increase significantly in the event that the proposed sustainable tourism development products are implemented. This is because the tourists visiting this destination will be more stratified after having spent their holidays at the destination. It is noteworthy that the key to repeat visits is guests’ satisfaction. Additionally, guests are more likely to recommend their friends to visit a destination in the event that they have experienced utter satisfaction when they visited the place themselves. As a result of this, one ought to realize that Souq Waqif is projected to realize enormous growth in its revenue from tourism activities in the event that these recommendations are implemented. References Culbertson, K., Turner D., & Kolberg J.. (1993). Towards a Definition of Sustainable Development in the Yampa Valley of Colorado, Mountain Research and Development, Vol. 13. Galley, K. E. (2004). Tourism product development strategies. Canada: Jameson & Sons publishers. Gore, A. (2006). Tourism of the future. UK: Edward Publishers. Jefferson, A. (2012). Marketing Tourism a practical guide. New Jersey: Newton prints. Masip, J. D. (2013). Tourism product development: A way to create values the Case of La Vall De Lord (n.d.): n. pag. http://www.esade.edu Mieczkowski, T. (2009). Environmental issues of tourism and recreation. New York: Lexington Press. Sanchez, K. (2012). Perceive value of the purchase of a tourism product. Oklahoma State: Revlon Publishers. Read More