The Effect of Cultural Tightness-Looseness on Tourism Destination Choice for European Tourists: Evidence from Saudi Arabia.

In a rapidly evolving social environment, with shifting tourists’ preferences and growing international travel, a key concern for tourism destinations is how to accommodate tourists from diverse backgrounds. Now more than ever, practitioners understand the key role culture plays in global travel patterns. Therefore, this study aims to explore how perceived cultural tightness and looseness shape Saudi Arabia’s tourism image, destination choice, and revisit intention among European tourists, investigating their perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was conducted to examine European tourists’ perceptions and decision-making. This quantitative–qualitative approach produces key patterns and contextual depth. Data from 411 online questionnaires completed by European tourists were analysed using WarpPLS 7.0 for structural equation modelling and SPSS 25.0 for descriptive and inferential statistics. In the qualitative stage, NVivo 12 inductive thematic analysis was used to examine 39 in-depth semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that perceptions of the cultural characteristics (tight/loose) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have a substantial impact on tourists’ perceived image, destination choice, and re/visit intention. Also, the structural model indicated that cultural tightness and looseness have an indirect influence on revisit intentions through a sequential mediation by perceived image and destination choice. The qualitative findings revealed that European visitors navigate cultural differences through respect and observation in response to problems related to cultural adaptation and infrastructure. Additionally, the findings indicated that the recent development and historical heritage of KSA are complementary dynamic forces shaping tourists' decision-making and experiences. The study adds to destination management by showing how it can inform branding, policy, and tourist experience decisions through CTL.