Arabic Language Education for Non-Native Speakers, Educational Tourism, and Local Development: An Economics of Education Approach

This study examines Arabic language education for non-native speakers as an entry point to educational tourism and local development from the perspective of the economics of education, including cost, return, employment opportunities, and institutional partnerships. It proceeds from the premise that Arabic language programs are often approached mainly through pedagogical and methodological considerations, whereas redesigning them within flexible, diversified, and integrated institutional frameworks can transform them into educational-cultural services with economic and social impact. The study aims to clarify the relationship between Arabic language education and educational tourism and to analyze the potential of this field to revitalize local sectors, expand access to Arabic learning, and create direct and indirect employment opportunities in teaching, tour guiding, translation, and cultural and tourism-related services. It adopts a descriptive-analytical approach based on a review of relevant literature and proposes an educational-tourism model grounded in teaching Arabic to non-native speakers. The study concludes that Arabic language education can constitute a valuable educational and developmental investment when restructured through an institutional vision that integrates language instruction, cultural experience, educational tourism, and local services, thereby enhancing implementation quality and sustaining its educational, economic, and social impact.