Marketing the Political in Tourism Management: Nation Branding in Saudi Arabia Vision 2030

This study aims to provide an in-depth examination of the ‘Vision 2030’ of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a systematic and holistic project to create a nation brand with the objective of integrating into global capitalism. Employing qualitative content analysis as the primary methodological approach complemented by certain critical discourse analysis techniques, this research seeks to deconstruct the discursive strategies and ideological underpinnings embedded within the official ‘Vision 2030’ documents. Its holistic approach addresses both the domains of political marketing and tourism management by discussing the political and marketplace implications. The study makes an original contribution to existing literature through its unique theoretical and methodological approach that positions nation branding efforts at the intersection of global capitalism’s structural hegemony and the Kingdom’s own hegemonic project. The ‘Saudi Arabia nation brand’ is based on repackaging Saudi Arabia’s image from conservative oil-dependent monarchy into a modern, open, and investment-friendly country. This was achieved by underlining the transformation from the “old” to the “new” in every aspect of daily life, blending Islamic/Arab cultural heritage with various economic and social activities such as trade, sports and entertainment and promising a diversified economy that adheres to neoliberal standards within the global capitalist system.