Spatial assessment of audience accessibility to historical monuments and museums in Qatar during the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Abstract

Hosting mega sports events is a key driver for sustainable development, particularly through fostering tourism marketing and planning. Although the 2022 FIFA World Cup has received considerable attention, as the first global event hosted in the Middle East and Arab world, studies that highlight and investigate the potential benefits of hosting such an event are rare. This study assessed the geographical accessibility to archaeological sites, monuments, and museums across Qatar, providing clear guidelines on how to represent the national cultural and historical heritage to global audiences during the 2022 mega event, to maximise socioeconomic revenue. Spatial data were assembled within GIS platforms to assess accessibility utilising geospatial techniques, such as the average nearest neighbour, near analysis, spatial autocorrelation (Moran 'I Index), and cost distance to estimate travel times. The analysis indicated that the archaeological sites are spatially clustered, predominantly concentrated in Doha and Al-Rayan municipalities, where historical and cultural landmarks are located. However, most castles, forts, and archaeological sites located outside the capital zone are less accessible, and at a long distance from hotels and residential areas. As the hosting stadiums are located along the northeast coast and within the most populous zone, the museums, towers, and cultural landscapes are easily accessible within a short travel time (less than 10 min). As a host community, planners and policymakers in Qatar may benefit from this research, as a spatial guideline to promote sustainable development of tourism, through facilitating accessibility to monuments and museums, as well as enriching the representation of the national tangible heritage to a global audience.