Abstract

This paper employs combination of SWOT analysis and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in strategic planning for tourism of Asir, which is located in the south region of Saudi Arabia. The objective of the research is to identify and rank the various options for the growth of the tourism sector in the Asser region. The SWOT analysis will be utilized in the construction of strategies, as well as the AHP method will be used to rank the various candidate strategies. In order to collect and analyze study data from forty different specialists, a questionnaire and a technique will be used. In the business region, both the effectiveness of internal factors and the effectiveness of external variables will be evaluated. On the basis of the matrix that the SWOT model uses to compare internal and external factors, it was determined that an aggressive strategy would be the most effective approach. In the second model, we employed a combined SWOT-AHP model with a list of criteria and together with sub-criteria to identify the optimal approach. Offensive methods were given the most emphasis in this model. As a result, the tourism potential in this region should be given special consideration, and it should be placed on the agenda of managers and planners in order to improve the economic standing of the region, as well as to create employment prospects.

Keywords – SWOT, AHP, Asir, Tourism