Third International Conference on Tourism & Leisure Studies

Abstract

This study explores Dubai residents’ perception of CT within the city of Dubai and fills the gap in the literature. A quantitative approach was taken to collect data via an online survey following a convenience and snowball sampling technique. Surveys were distributed via email to residents of Dubai. A total of 141 responses were collected. Results of the survey showed that the majority of participants were female, expatriates, were eighteen to twenty-five years old, and had lived in Dubai for more than ten years. Based on the literature, five hypotheses were developed, tested, and all were rejected. Overall, residents had a positive perception towards cultural tourism but had a different idea about it, as they considered attractions like Burj Khalifa to be part of Dubai’s culture. It is suggested to the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing to market cultural tourism more and revitalize the cultural heritage, in order to have a competitive advantage over other destinations.