This study intends to develop a GIS–AHP integrated framework to identify and analyze potential ecotourism routes between Jeddah and Alula, a corridor rich in ecological and cultural resources in Saudi Arabia. The research employed an integrated GIS and AHP methodology applying four criteria: ecological, cultural, infrastructural, and socio-economic. The AHP provided a systematic method for allocating weights to criteria through expert assessment, while GIS facilitated the spatial analysis, standardization, and integration of diverse information into a unified suitability map. The results reveal considerable regional heterogeneity in ecotourism suitability along the corridor. Highland areas near Alula and Al-Madinah showed high suitability due to the favorable climate, vegetation, and scenic aspects, while arid interior zones were mostly low-suited. The regions surrounding Jeddah, Yanbu, and Alula prospered from significant cultural and infrastructural accessibility. Overall, 21.4% of the land and 19.6% of road parts were categorized as highly appropriate for ecotourism. The integrated model indicates that ecotourism route planning can be enhanced by integrating environmental sensitivity with infrastructural availability. The findings expand the theoretical and practical discussion on spatial decision-making in sustainable tourism, offering a comprehensive, reliable approach for identifying potential ecotourism routes.

Designing sustainable pedestrian infrastructure in hyper-arid cultural landscapes requires balancing visitor experience, heritage protection, and environmental constraints. This study develops a statistically grounded model for planning sustainable walking trails in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia, using multi-spectral remote sensing data integrated with expert-based evaluation. A GIS-based Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) framework was applied to assess topographic slope, vegetation cover (NDVI), built-up density (NDBI), Land Surface Temperature (LST), and solar exposure. Indicator weights were validated through a three-round Delphi survey involving fifteen experts. The results indicate strong consensus among experts, identifying LST (21%) and slope (20%) as the most influential determinants of trail suitability in desert environments. These findings highlight the critical role of thermal stress in shaping safe and sustainable pedestrian mobility in hot climates. The optimized 44.5 km trail network, classified into three difficulty levels, improves energetic efficiency by reducing caloric expenditure by 24% compared to conventional routing. In addition, the proposed network has the potential to reduce carbon emissions associated with heritage-related travel by approximately 75% through modal shift from vehicles to walking. The framework provides a practical decision-support tool for planners seeking to develop low-carbon, climate-responsive tourism infrastructure aligned with the objectives of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

The growth of ecotourism and hiking is one pillar of Saudi Vision 2030. However, the Kingdom lacks an up-to-date national spatial classification that would enable systematic coverage and strategic decision-making on potentially suitable hiking areas. In response, this study developed a GIS-based MCDA framework to classify hiking zones and assess their suitability across mountainous, desert, and coastal environments. We integrated and processed spatial datasets, including topography (Digital Elevation Model; DEM), climate (temperature), Land Use/Land Cover (LULC), and proximity to infrastructure, using Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) and Euclidean Distance. We classified the terrain into three environmental masks and used Zonal Statistics to characterize 96 established trails. Then we used the Rank Sum method to objectively weight the criteria. The model generated high-, medium-, and low-suitability maps, indicating that favorable hiking areas are especially found in hilly terrain. Comparison with existing SCHF trails showed general consistency between established trail characteristics and the modeled suitability patterns, supporting the framework’s potential as a national-scale spatial decision-support tool.

This study analyzes the impact of 360° panoramic imaging on the documentation of heritage sites, using a SWOT analysis. A multi-method approach was adopted, combining a review of scholarly literature and institutional reports, expert interviews, user surveys, and hands-on testing of three widely used platforms: Kuula, 3DVista, and Pano2VR. The findings demonstrate that 360° imaging significantly improves visual engagement and spatial understanding, particularly in educational and public outreach contexts. However, challenges remain in terms of data integration, navigation, and long-term digital preservation. Platforms such as 3DVista and Pano2VR offer extensive features and advanced media integration, but their complexity and cost make them less accessible to smaller institutions. Conversely, Kuula was found to be more accessible and user-friendly, though it offers fewer customization options. This study adds to the growing body of literature by applying a SWOT lens to evaluate not just the technical capabilities but also the strategic usability of 360° tools in heritage documentation. It highlights key gaps in data management and cross-platform functionality, calling attention to the need for standardization and training. Future research should explore hybrid models that integrate panoramic imaging with high-precision technologies such as LiDAR and immersive media (VR/AR), aiming to enhance both accuracy and public engagement in digital heritage preservation.

Mangrove ecosystems provide critical coastal protection, biodiversity support, and carbon storage, yet they remain vulnerable to degradation caused by coastal development, pollution, and climate-related pressures. This study monitors mangrove dynamics in Al-Birk, Asir Region, Saudi Arabia, using Google Earth Engine (GEE), multi-temporal Landsat imagery, spectral indices, and Random Forest (RF) classification. Landsat imagery from 2016 to 2021 was processed to derive NDVI, MSAVI2, EVI, and NDWI, and supervised RF classification was applied to map annual mangrove extent and associated land-cover classes. The RF classifier achieved an overall accuracy of 92.5% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.89. Results indicate that classified mangrove extent increased from approximately 1069 ha in 2016 to 1540 ha in 2021, representing a net gain of 471 ha and a 44% increase over the study period. A localized decline was detected between 2020 and 2021, indicating spatially uneven vegetation dynamics. The findings provide a spatial baseline for monitoring mangrove change and supporting coastal conservation planning in Saudi Arabia. While the detected expansion is temporally consistent with ongoing restoration initiatives, the study does not establish direct causality between policy interventions and observed spatial changes.

This study evaluates stakeholders’ perceptions of the complexity of ecotourism opportunities and their support for ecotourism development, and then identifies the correlation between perception and support. This study adopts a mixed-method approach combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. In the first phase, in-depth interviews were conducted to explore the complexity of ecotourism opportunity development. In the second phase, a questionnaire survey was used to examine stakeholders’ perceptions and their support for ecotourism development. The results reveal moderate overall perception and support for ecotourism opportunity development among stakeholders. However, a strong positive relationship was identified between stakeholders’ perception of ecotourism complexity and their support for ecotourism initiatives. Regression analysis further indicated that stakeholders’ perception is positively associated with their level of support for ecotourism development. These findings provide practical insights for integrating stakeholder perspectives into conservation strategies and sustainable ecotourism development. This study contributes to conservation-oriented planning by linking stakeholder perception to ecotourism development.