Challenges and Opportunities for Small Cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Study of Expert Perceptions

Small cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia face the challenges of adequately providing for their citizens and maintaining and growing their population. This study of small cities in Saudi Arabia provides insights into the prevalent challenges faced by small cities from the perspective of a sample of experts in related fields. In this research, a self-completing online questionnaire was designed to gather valuable quantitative data on five critical themes drawn from relevant theoretical considerations, case studies of small cities, and official government documents. This study explores the issues of existing infrastructure, governance processes, relationships with other cities, current economic activity, and potential development opportunities. The findings suggest that the local urban governance and strategic planning of urban growth are among the main components of successful development in small cities, especially by providing local planning authorities with greater autonomy while considering the cities' regional integration to form links with larger cities. As research in small cities in Saudi Arabia remains unexplored, the findings also highlight areas of further research which may lay the groundwork for future researchers and be utilized by policy makers to devise more effective policies and implementation strategies that render small cities more sustainable.