A Guest Experience Design Framework for the Saudi Hotel Sector

This research paper presents and discusses a proposed framework for guest experience design for the Saudi hospitality sector. The framework is based on the challenges facing hotel operators and the success factors of hotel operation in Saudi Arabia as identified by 19 branded hotel operators’ managers. A face-to-face interview process is used with the 19 hotel operators’ managers to identify 28 success factors of hotel operation in Saudi Arabia. These success factors together with the related literature are used to design the guest experience design framework for the Saudi hospitality sector. The framework has six design pillars: (1) conception, (2) creation, (3) attraction, (4) interaction, (5) realization, and (6) evaluation.