Call for Chapters: Authoritarian Hospitality and its Impacts on Middle Eastern Tourism

Editors

Shivam Bhartiya, Jain (Deemed to be University), India
Rositsa Röntynen, Jamk University of Applied Sciences, Finland
Selcen BALKI, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli Üniversitesi, Turkey

Call for Chapters

Proposals Submission Deadline: July 19, 2026
 Full Chapters Due: November 1, 2026
 Submission Date: November 1, 2026

Introduction

In an era marked by the remarkable convergence of political tradition and economic ambition, the Middle East has emerged as one of the most captivating and dynamic destinations in the global tourism landscape. Across the region, governments have demonstrated an extraordinary capacity to blend ancient cultural heritage with ultramodern infrastructure, crafting visitor experiences that are at once breathtaking, generous, and deeply human. This book explores the layered relationship between governance, hospitality, and tourism in the Middle East, examining how states navigate the delicate balance between preserving national identity, welcoming the world, and pursuing bold visions of economic transformation. The concept of "authoritarian hospitality" is not an indictment but rather an analytical lens through which we can better understand how political systems shape the texture of travel, the design of public spaces, the warmth of cultural exchange, and the strategic ambitions that underpin a thriving tourism sector. Drawing on political theory, tourism studies, and rich regional context, this book invites readers on a thoughtful journey through some of the world's most storied landscapes, seeking not to judge but to understand the intricate and often surprising ways in which power, place, and people come together to define what hospitality truly means in this remarkable part of the world.

Objective

This book pursues several interconnected intellectual and scholarly objectives that collectively aim to advance the growing body of literature at the intersection of political science, tourism studies, and Middle Eastern regional research. First and foremost, it seeks to introduce and establish "authoritarian hospitality" as a meaningful and productive analytical concept, one that captures the distinctive ways in which governance structures in non-democratic settings actively shape, direct, and instrumentalize the tourism experience for both strategic and economic ends. Second, the book aims to fill a significant gap in existing scholarship, as tourism in the Middle East has largely been studied through purely economic or cultural lenses, with insufficient attention paid to the political architecture that frames and conditions every dimension of the visitor experience. Third, it endeavors to provide a comparative regional analysis, drawing on case studies from multiple Middle Eastern countries to illuminate both the shared patterns and the important national differences in how authoritarian hospitality manifests across diverse political and cultural contexts. Fourth, the book seeks to contribute fresh theoretical frameworks that future researchers, policymakers, and tourism practitioners can apply beyond the Middle Eastern context, extending the conversation to other regions of the world where similar dynamics are at play. Finally, and perhaps most ambitiously, this work aspires to open a more honest and nuanced scholarly dialogue about the ethical dimensions of tourism in politically complex environments, equipping readers, academics, and industry professionals alike with the conceptual tools necessary to engage thoughtfully and responsibly with one of the most consequential and underexplored questions in contemporary tourism research.

Target Audience

This book is written with a broad yet purposeful readership in mind, designed to speak meaningfully to multiple communities of scholars, practitioners, and engaged readers who share an interest in the complex relationship between politics, culture, and tourism in the Middle East. At its primary level, the book is directed toward academics and graduate researchers working within the fields of tourism studies, political science, Middle Eastern studies, human geography, and cultural sociology, offering them a theoretically grounded and empirically rich resource that both challenges existing assumptions and opens new avenues for scholarly inquiry. University instructors will find the book particularly valuable as a teaching text in courses related to global tourism policy, authoritarian politics, regional studies, and international hospitality management, given its accessible yet rigorous approach to complex interdisciplinary questions. Tourism industry professionals, destination managers, and policy advisors operating within or alongside Middle Eastern markets will equally benefit from the book's practical insights into how political environments shape tourism infrastructure, visitor behavior, marketing narratives, and long term destination development strategies. International organizations, human rights bodies, and development agencies engaged with the Middle East will find the research useful in informing their understanding of how tourism intersects with governance, civil society, and national identity construction. Culturally curious general readers with an interest in travel, geopolitics, and the human stories behind some of the world's most extraordinary destinations will also find this book an illuminating and thought provoking companion. Ultimately, anyone who seeks to move beyond surface level travel narratives and engage seriously with the deeper forces that shape how the Middle East presents itself to the world will find enduring value in the pages of this book.

Recommended Topics

Conceptualizing Authoritarian Hospitality: Definitions, Boundaries, and Theoretical Grounding State Controlled Tourism Policy: Legislation, Bureaucracy, and Institutional Frameworks in the Middle East Tourism as Soft Power: Nation Branding Strategies Across Gulf and Non Gulf States Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030: Tourism Liberalization Within an Authoritarian Political Structure The UAE's Dual Identity: Global Openness and Domestic Political Restrictions Egypt's Tourism Economy: Heritage Management Under Military Governance Jordan's Stability Narrative: Political Pragmatism and Tourism Diplomacy Qatar's Mega Event Strategy: The 2022 World Cup and Its Tourism Legacy Security, Surveillance, and the Policing of Tourist Spaces Religious Site Management: Political Authority Over Islamic and Non Islamic Heritage Gender Policies and Their Direct Impact on Tourist Behavior and Destination Marketing Labor Rights in Tourism and Hospitality: The Migrant Worker Dimension Media Censorship, Digital Restrictions, and Their Effect on the Visitor Experience Community Displacement and Local Exclusion in State Driven Tourism Development Environmental Governance and Sustainability in Politically Managed Tourism Zones Crisis Management and Destination Recovery Following Political Instability Comparative Regional Analysis: Shared Patterns and National Distinctions in Authoritarian Hospitality Ethical Responsibilities of Tourists, Researchers, and Industry Professionals in Authoritarian Destinations

Submission Procedure

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before July 19, 2026, a chapter proposal of 1,000 to 2,000 words clearly explaining the mission and concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors will be notified by August 2, 2026 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines.Full chapters of a minimum of 10,000 words (word count includes references and related readings) are expected to be submitted by November 1, 2026, and all interested authors must consult the guidelines for manuscript submissions at https://www.igi-global.com/publish/contributor-resources/before-you-write/ prior to submission. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-anonymized review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project.

Note: There are no submission or acceptance fees for manuscripts submitted to this book publication, Authoritarian Hospitality and its Impacts on Middle Eastern Tourism. All manuscripts are accepted based on a double-anonymized peer review editorial process.

All proposals should be submitted through the eEditorial Discovery® online submission manager.

Publisher

This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global Scientific Publishing, an international academic publisher of the "Information Science Reference", "Medical Information Science Reference", "Business Science Reference", and "Engineering Science Reference" imprints. IGI Global Scientific Publishing specializes in publishing reference books, scholarly journals, and electronic databases featuring academic research on a variety of innovative topic areas including, but not limited to, education, social science, medicine and healthcare, business and management, information science and technology, engineering, public administration, library and information science, media and communication studies, and environmental science. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit https://www.igi-global.com. This publication is anticipated to be released in 2027.

Indexing Information for Prospective Authors

IGI Global Scientific Publishing meets the criteria for inclusion in major indexing services such as Scopus; however, it is important to note that all indexing decisions are made independently by these services. IGI Global Scientific Publishing books are selectively indexed by the indexing organization after publication. Indexing cannot be guaranteed for any book prior to publication, and the indexing organization has complete control over the final selection and timeline.

Important Dates

July 19, 2026: Proposal Submission Deadline
August 2, 2026: Notification of Acceptance
November 1, 2026: Full Chapter Submission
January 3, 2027: Review Results Returned
February 14, 2027: Final Acceptance Notification
February 28, 2027: Final Chapter Submission

Inquiries

Shivam Bhartiya Jain (Deemed to be University) shivam.bhartiya@jainuniversity.ac.in Rositsa Röntynen Jamk University of Applied Sciences rositsa.rontynen@jamk.fi Selcen BALKI Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli Üniversitesi selcenbalki@gmail.com
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