The Role of Project Management in Advancing Sustainable Tourism in the Saudi Municipality Sector: Frameworks, Governance Models, and Implementation Roadmaps

The vision of diversification that Saudi Arabia has concerning developing its economy beyond oil has put sustainable tourism at the center of its vision 2030 plan. With cities assuming more prominent roles in the process of realizing urban development through tourism, project management is becoming an imperative issue. The article presents an inquiry into the potential role of organized project management systems in promoting sustainable tourism projects in the Saudi municipal sector. The research bases its findings on the global and regional literature and includes governance models, digital technologies and citizen-centered strategies that help municipalities to plan, implement, and evaluate sustainable tourism initiatives in a successful manner. The study pinpoints the best practices of developing smart city projects in Saudi Arabia and recommends the significance of integrated governance, responsive change, and sustainability in the environment. Culling together 29 sources, including academic and policy-oriented ones, this article provides the detailed implementation roadmap, based on project management of the public sector, green infrastructure, digital transformation, and inclusion of the stakeholders. The results have contributed practically and theoretically by filling gaps between urban planning, tourism development, and project governance, and in the end, help municipalities to meet the objectives of the vision 2030 as well as improve the community resilience, economic sustainability and cultural preservation.