Muthana F A A E Q Almasooudi
I am currently serving as a Lecturer in the College of Tourism Sciences at the University of Kerbala, specifically in the Department of Graduate Studies. My academic journey continues as I pursue my doctoral studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia, where I enrolled in 2020. Throughout my career, I have maintained an active presence in academic research and have participated in numerous international conferences, contributing significantly to the field of tourism sciences. I am presently a Ph.D. candidate at Universiti Sains Malaysia, having commenced my studies in 2020. Prior to this, I completed my Master's degree in Tourism Sciences, which provided me with a strong foundation in my field of expertise.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
As a faculty member at the University of Kerbala's College of Tourism Sciences, I hold a position in the Graduate Studies Department. In this role, I am responsible for delivering advanced coursework to graduate students, engaging in scholarly research, and contributing to the academic development of our department. My work involves both teaching and research supervision, allowing me to mentor the next generation of tourism professionals while advancing the field through original research.
RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC CONTRIBUTIONS
My academic career has been marked by substantial research output and active participation in the scholarly community. I have authored multiple research papers and have been a regular presenter at international conferences, where I have shared my findings and insights with colleagues from around the world. These contributions have helped advance our understanding of tourism sciences and have established my presence in the international academic community.EXPERTISE
My academic background and professional experience have equipped me with comprehensive knowledge of tourism sciences, particularly at the graduate level. I possess extensive experience in academic research methodology, teaching at the graduate level, and academic supervision. My ongoing doctoral studies continue to enhance my expertise and contribute to my professional development in the field.
Phone: 00601121034405
Address: Malaysia
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
As a faculty member at the University of Kerbala's College of Tourism Sciences, I hold a position in the Graduate Studies Department. In this role, I am responsible for delivering advanced coursework to graduate students, engaging in scholarly research, and contributing to the academic development of our department. My work involves both teaching and research supervision, allowing me to mentor the next generation of tourism professionals while advancing the field through original research.
RESEARCH AND ACADEMIC CONTRIBUTIONS
My academic career has been marked by substantial research output and active participation in the scholarly community. I have authored multiple research papers and have been a regular presenter at international conferences, where I have shared my findings and insights with colleagues from around the world. These contributions have helped advance our understanding of tourism sciences and have established my presence in the international academic community.EXPERTISE
My academic background and professional experience have equipped me with comprehensive knowledge of tourism sciences, particularly at the graduate level. I possess extensive experience in academic research methodology, teaching at the graduate level, and academic supervision. My ongoing doctoral studies continue to enhance my expertise and contribute to my professional development in the field.
Phone: 00601121034405
Address: Malaysia
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Papers by Muthana F A A E Q Almasooudi
This paper explores cultural heritage tourism decision makers’ perspectives on adopting metaverse technologies
to enhance experiences and preservation at the ancient Mesopotamian city of Babylon in Iraq. The
metaverse represents an emerging phenomenon of persistent 3D virtual environments accessed through
augmented and virtual reality. Babylon’s sprawling ancient ruins could be vividly recreated to attract tourists
both on-site and online. However, challenges around authenticity, infrastructure, and competing priorities may
inhibit metaverse adoption. To investigate this complex issue, 8 semi-structured interviews were conducted with
Iraqi government heritage and tourism officials and museum administrators. Interview transcripts were
thematically analyzed to identify key opportunities and barriers. Findings revealed knowledge gaps around
metaverse benefits, concerns over the inauthenticity of simulated experiences, enthusiasm for widening youth
access, and various adoption challenges. Core recommendations include starting with small experimental
pilots, building decision makers digital literacy, framing metaverse experiences as complements not replacements,
and improving supporting technology infrastructure over time. This formative qualitative study
provides crucial insights into Iraqi expert perceptions to inform policies guiding effective, context-specific
integration of metaverse technologies to ultimately enrich cultural tourism and the preservation of ancient Iraqi
heritage. Further research measuring pilot metaverse project outcomes is warranted.
the conflict, a key question arises regarding the workforce needed to enable sustainable sector
expansion. This paper explores the unique human resource management (HRM) challenges
tourism companies face in this fledgling context through a qualitative study. Semi-structured
interviews with eight HR executives from major hospitality firms revealed four major problem
themes: recruiting skilled talent, excessive turnover, safety and well-being risks, and
inadequate training infrastructure. The findings align with strategic HRM theory in that
shortfall in acquiring, motivating, protecting, and developing human capital obstruct the
achievement of organizational growth, productivity, service quality, and continuity goals.
Practical implications point to increasing public and private investments in formal tourism
education, safety standards, and company-level development programs as priority actions to
remedy crippling HRM constraints for the emerging Iraqi tourism sector. The paper spotlights
an underexplored yet critically important HRM context, providing empirical insights to inform
policies and practices that can unlock the sector's potential.
service quality, sales performance, customer satisfaction, and loyalty. The
study highlights the importance of hiring individuals with desired traits and investing in employee training programs that enhance emotional intelligence and provide guidelines for emotional display rules to improve customer experiences and overall functionality satisfaction. Overall, this research contributes to understanding the importance of effective tourism management in promoting employee well-being and driving success in the tourism industry.
inbound tourism. Therefore, the current study investigates the factors affecting the tour guides'
service quality and their impact on tourists' satisfaction. Four characteristics of tour guides
were identified. These factors include behaviour; personal integrity, employment; safety and
security at visiting places. In addition, five service quality attributes were considered in this
study including dependability, empathy, tangibility, assurance, and responsiveness. This study
also tested the tourism policy impact on satisfaction. The study's questionnaires were
distributed to 536 international tourists at Babylon archaeological site. Among the 536
distributed questionnaires, only 315 responses were usable for analysis. The cross-sectional
data has been applied over considered techniques, as the cross-sectional data helped in making
a significant formation in terms of customer choices, customer satisfaction, and the building
of relationships with each other for such places as Babylon. Based on the current findings,
positive relationships were found between the tour guide attributes, service quality factors, and
tourists satisfaction. Overall, this theoretical paper says that the tourism department should use
the dimension model and that service providers should improve their management to increase
tourist satisfaction.
pivotal juncture. As travelers’ expectations and technology continue to advance, the city of
Babylon faces the challenge of adapting to this changing landscape to remain a relevant and
sought-after destination. This study aims to explore the digital transformation plans while
emphasizing emerging quality dimensions and their associated consequences in the historic
city of Babylon in Iraq. The digital transformation in Iraq faces challenges, primarily due to a
shortage of skilled digital professionals and limited collaboration among government,
industry, universities, and research institutes in the tourism sector. This slowdown is
particularly concerning since the Iraqi government has identified tourism as a critical industry
for the country's 21st-century growth. To investigate these issues, the study employed a
quantitative research design, utilizing questionnaires to measure visitor expectations and
perceptions of service quality. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires
in Babylon, resulting in 315 usable responses. The study's findings underscore the necessity
for Babylon City to adapt to the evolving demands of modern travelers who anticipate
seamless, personalized, and technologically enhanced experiences. Embracing digital
technologies, including mobile apps, social media, and data analytics, is vital for both
attracting and retaining visitors. The study outcomes lay the groundwork for developing
strategies that foster a genuinely inclusive and accommodating atmosphere for tourists by
Investing in digital infrastructure to position Babylon City as a technologically advanced and
attractive tourist destination. Furthermore, the quality of tourism services, as well as the digital
implementation in service delivery, plays a significant role not only in visitor satisfaction but
also in enhancing the city's global reputation in the digital age.
industry by redefining how travelers access information and experience destinations.
This survey explores the multifaceted potential of ChatGPT in various sectors of
the tourism domain. The study begins by addressing the ethical considerations
related to AI and natural language processing, emphasizing the necessity of
privacy and data security in ChatGPT interactions. It analyzes the recent research
findings, demonstrating ChatGPT’s efficacy in translating languages for tourists and
improving services. The technology’s impact on tourism education and research is
explored, highlighting its disruptive effects, benefits, and challenges, particularly in
academic contexts. The paper delves into ChatGPT’s influence on the hospitality and
tourism sector, focusing on its role in customer interactions, backend operations,
and research methodologies. Additionally, it examines ChatGPT’s implications for
content creation, visitor motivations, cultural perceptions, and regional tourism
management. These insights shed light on ChatGPT’s potential to enhance customer
experiences, influence visitor behaviors, and bridge cultural gaps in diverse tourism
contexts. Concluding with preliminary guidelines for ChatGPT adoption, this paper
equips industry professionals with essential knowledge to leverage the technology
effectively. By embracing ChatGPT, the tourism industry can provide travelers with
more informed, personalized, and immersive experiences, thus enhancing overall
satisfaction and engagement during their journeys.
This paper explores cultural heritage tourism decision makers’ perspectives on adopting metaverse technologies
to enhance experiences and preservation at the ancient Mesopotamian city of Babylon in Iraq. The
metaverse represents an emerging phenomenon of persistent 3D virtual environments accessed through
augmented and virtual reality. Babylon’s sprawling ancient ruins could be vividly recreated to attract tourists
both on-site and online. However, challenges around authenticity, infrastructure, and competing priorities may
inhibit metaverse adoption. To investigate this complex issue, 8 semi-structured interviews were conducted with
Iraqi government heritage and tourism officials and museum administrators. Interview transcripts were
thematically analyzed to identify key opportunities and barriers. Findings revealed knowledge gaps around
metaverse benefits, concerns over the inauthenticity of simulated experiences, enthusiasm for widening youth
access, and various adoption challenges. Core recommendations include starting with small experimental
pilots, building decision makers digital literacy, framing metaverse experiences as complements not replacements,
and improving supporting technology infrastructure over time. This formative qualitative study
provides crucial insights into Iraqi expert perceptions to inform policies guiding effective, context-specific
integration of metaverse technologies to ultimately enrich cultural tourism and the preservation of ancient Iraqi
heritage. Further research measuring pilot metaverse project outcomes is warranted.
the conflict, a key question arises regarding the workforce needed to enable sustainable sector
expansion. This paper explores the unique human resource management (HRM) challenges
tourism companies face in this fledgling context through a qualitative study. Semi-structured
interviews with eight HR executives from major hospitality firms revealed four major problem
themes: recruiting skilled talent, excessive turnover, safety and well-being risks, and
inadequate training infrastructure. The findings align with strategic HRM theory in that
shortfall in acquiring, motivating, protecting, and developing human capital obstruct the
achievement of organizational growth, productivity, service quality, and continuity goals.
Practical implications point to increasing public and private investments in formal tourism
education, safety standards, and company-level development programs as priority actions to
remedy crippling HRM constraints for the emerging Iraqi tourism sector. The paper spotlights
an underexplored yet critically important HRM context, providing empirical insights to inform
policies and practices that can unlock the sector's potential.
service quality, sales performance, customer satisfaction, and loyalty. The
study highlights the importance of hiring individuals with desired traits and investing in employee training programs that enhance emotional intelligence and provide guidelines for emotional display rules to improve customer experiences and overall functionality satisfaction. Overall, this research contributes to understanding the importance of effective tourism management in promoting employee well-being and driving success in the tourism industry.
inbound tourism. Therefore, the current study investigates the factors affecting the tour guides'
service quality and their impact on tourists' satisfaction. Four characteristics of tour guides
were identified. These factors include behaviour; personal integrity, employment; safety and
security at visiting places. In addition, five service quality attributes were considered in this
study including dependability, empathy, tangibility, assurance, and responsiveness. This study
also tested the tourism policy impact on satisfaction. The study's questionnaires were
distributed to 536 international tourists at Babylon archaeological site. Among the 536
distributed questionnaires, only 315 responses were usable for analysis. The cross-sectional
data has been applied over considered techniques, as the cross-sectional data helped in making
a significant formation in terms of customer choices, customer satisfaction, and the building
of relationships with each other for such places as Babylon. Based on the current findings,
positive relationships were found between the tour guide attributes, service quality factors, and
tourists satisfaction. Overall, this theoretical paper says that the tourism department should use
the dimension model and that service providers should improve their management to increase
tourist satisfaction.
pivotal juncture. As travelers’ expectations and technology continue to advance, the city of
Babylon faces the challenge of adapting to this changing landscape to remain a relevant and
sought-after destination. This study aims to explore the digital transformation plans while
emphasizing emerging quality dimensions and their associated consequences in the historic
city of Babylon in Iraq. The digital transformation in Iraq faces challenges, primarily due to a
shortage of skilled digital professionals and limited collaboration among government,
industry, universities, and research institutes in the tourism sector. This slowdown is
particularly concerning since the Iraqi government has identified tourism as a critical industry
for the country's 21st-century growth. To investigate these issues, the study employed a
quantitative research design, utilizing questionnaires to measure visitor expectations and
perceptions of service quality. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires
in Babylon, resulting in 315 usable responses. The study's findings underscore the necessity
for Babylon City to adapt to the evolving demands of modern travelers who anticipate
seamless, personalized, and technologically enhanced experiences. Embracing digital
technologies, including mobile apps, social media, and data analytics, is vital for both
attracting and retaining visitors. The study outcomes lay the groundwork for developing
strategies that foster a genuinely inclusive and accommodating atmosphere for tourists by
Investing in digital infrastructure to position Babylon City as a technologically advanced and
attractive tourist destination. Furthermore, the quality of tourism services, as well as the digital
implementation in service delivery, plays a significant role not only in visitor satisfaction but
also in enhancing the city's global reputation in the digital age.
industry by redefining how travelers access information and experience destinations.
This survey explores the multifaceted potential of ChatGPT in various sectors of
the tourism domain. The study begins by addressing the ethical considerations
related to AI and natural language processing, emphasizing the necessity of
privacy and data security in ChatGPT interactions. It analyzes the recent research
findings, demonstrating ChatGPT’s efficacy in translating languages for tourists and
improving services. The technology’s impact on tourism education and research is
explored, highlighting its disruptive effects, benefits, and challenges, particularly in
academic contexts. The paper delves into ChatGPT’s influence on the hospitality and
tourism sector, focusing on its role in customer interactions, backend operations,
and research methodologies. Additionally, it examines ChatGPT’s implications for
content creation, visitor motivations, cultural perceptions, and regional tourism
management. These insights shed light on ChatGPT’s potential to enhance customer
experiences, influence visitor behaviors, and bridge cultural gaps in diverse tourism
contexts. Concluding with preliminary guidelines for ChatGPT adoption, this paper
equips industry professionals with essential knowledge to leverage the technology
effectively. By embracing ChatGPT, the tourism industry can provide travelers with
more informed, personalized, and immersive experiences, thus enhancing overall
satisfaction and engagement during their journeys.