The Role of Katara Cultural Village in Enhancing and Marketing the Image of Qatar: Evidence From TripAdvisor

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the extent to which Katara Cultural Village enhances the image of Qatar, based on reviewers’ posts on TripAdvisor. It also sought to analyze the current situation of Katara from the managers’ perspective. A total of 2,342 comments about Katara on the TripAdvisor website were analyzed using content analysis. Three focus group meetings with eight divisional managers in Katara were also conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis. The results show a high level of overall satisfaction among TripAdvisor reviewers from different nationalities and backgrounds. A word frequency count presents Katara positively as a good destination for cultural experience, with amazing and attractive features. According to the comments, Katara contributes to enhancing the image of Qatar and Qatari culture worldwide. The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis based on the focus group meetings with managers provided a clear and in-depth understanding of Katara’s current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This analysis can be important to planners and policy makers in Katara in developing and adopting suitable policies and strategies.