Introduction
The development of the tourism industry has been quite expeditious and stunningly successful over the past several decades. As the globalization process is gaining momentum, the opportunities for tourism, especially visits to exotic countries, have grown exponentially. However, the means of attracting tourists to a particular location to uncover its economic potential are still quite restricted, boiling down mostly to attractions and sightseeing. In terms of sights, the Assir region of Saudi Arabia has a huge potential due to the richness of its architectural heritage. Therefore, building a museum that would represent the culture of Assir both with its exterior and interior will help to rebrand the area and allow its architecture as an art form to speak to tourists.
Thesis Statement
Architecture can be a major player to rebrand a city and its cultural identity in order to grab tourism.
Problem Statement
Despite the possibilities that the Assir region holds, the benefits of turning it into a tourist attraction and using architecture as the main vehicle for galvanizing the process of economic growth are to be discussed. Since the Assir region can boast an extraordinarily rich history, using architecture as the means of attracting tourists will help to explore the city’s cultural heritage and give the city its cultural identity (Alganaby, 2019). In addition, the lack of publicity about Assir, as well as the possible problems connecting architectural landmarks and the public image of a city, may become a problem in making architecture into the tourist brand of Assir. In turn, the focus on architecture as the main focus of the city’s historical legacy may change people’s perspective, which is why the creation of a museum is a necessity (Plaza, González-Casimiro, Moral-Zuazo, & Waldron, 2015). Therefore, the change in the brand image of the Assir region, the main aspects, and facets of the Assir region cultural identity will have to be located.
Therefore, creating a cultural museum that could reflect the essential aspects of the Assir culture and incorporate unique architectural elements that will attract tourists is expected to serve as the means of increasing the performance of the Assir region tourism industry significantly. According to Tatarusanu and Iatu (2019), selecting a certain art form as one of the types of natural cultural heritage that reflects the centuries-old history of a specific place and allows one to learn more about local culture and its development. Namely, architecture offers insight into how people mimic cultural objects when creating buildings, as well as how a form is used to relay function. Thus, architecture will provide unique information that will differentiate the city from the rest of The Assir region locations.
In addition, the creation of a museum incorporating critical elements of the Assir architecture will help the Assir region to promote the principles of culturalism as the idea of learning about other cultures and developing an understanding of the Assir people. In turn, the use of sustainable tourism standards will guide the global community toward greater acceptance of other cultures. By informing people about the history of the Assir region through the development of its architecture, including sculpture and décor, one will be able to shed light on the rich history of the Assir region, as well as the cultural weight that the local architecture has.
Therefore, the creation of a museum embodying the history of the Assir region and creating an architecture-based narrative should become the priority for local government as the tool for rebranding the image of the area and making tourists see it as a historically significant element of the KSA. A geographical area rebranded as an architecturally rich place will help to change the perception of the Assir region and drive people’s attention to the unique architectural characteristics of the place. Moreover, the proposed change will help businesses to meet rather rigid and demanding environmental regulations established in the Assir region, which is another argument in its favor. The architecture of the Assir region will show the evolution of the past culture, traditions, tastes, and values through the form of buildings, the elements of their décor, and sculptures located in the Assir region.
References
Alganaby, A. A. S. S. (2019). Architecture of The heritage buildings in Najaf and its role in promoting national identity. Al-Adab Journal, 129, 67-76.
Plaza, B., González-Casimiro, P., Moral-Zuazo, P., & Waldron, C. (2015). Culture-led city brands as economic engines: theory and empirics. The Annals of Regional Science, 54(1), 179-196.
Tatarusanu, M., & Iatu, C. (2018). The interpretation of the cultural heritage for tourism in the era of globalization. SEA: Practical Application of Science, 6(1), 21-25.