The Influence of Tourism Development Strategies on the Attractiveness of Mountainous Destinations: A Case Study of the Aures Mountains in Algeria

Abstract

Tourism development strategies play a crucial role in tourism development. However, the reaction of the former to the needs of visitors and its effect on attractiveness is essential, especially in mountainous destinations. This study evaluates the impact of tourism development strategies on the attractiveness of mountain destinations. The study relied on appropriate elements derived from the literature. The study was conducted in three tourist sites in the Aures Mountains, and the sample included 468 visitors. The results showed that the destination’s attractiveness depends mainly on local factors such as nature, monuments, traditional food, and apple purchase, in addition to the quality of the price, which received the satisfaction of the majority of visitors. In turn, visitors were dissatisfied with the services assigned to tourism development strategies, such as accommodation, entertainment, communications, and transportation. The results also showed that the return to the destination is affected by nature and determined by several factors such as age, gender, use of a specific vehicle, and proximity. Therefore, the destination’s attractiveness is not based on the elements assigned to tourism strategies; this indicates the gap in local potential and tourism development.