Marketing economics
Yasin Qadermarzi; Mohamad rasol Almasifard; Mohsen Yarahmadi
Abstract
The world registration of the Oramanat region as the 26th World Heritage of Iran in the UNESCO organization has doubled the importance of this region from the west of the country. Considering the many capacities of the Oramanat region to attract tourists and the proper use of the world registration point ...
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The world registration of the Oramanat region as the 26th World Heritage of Iran in the UNESCO organization has doubled the importance of this region from the west of the country. Considering the many capacities of the Oramanat region to attract tourists and the proper use of the world registration point to make this region known as a tourism hub at the international level, this research aims to find the influential factors in branding the Oramanat tourism destination in the form of a model, and it is a Model. Regarding the objective type, this study is applied research conducted using a mixed exploratory method during two qualitative and quantitative stages. In the qualitative section, interviews were conducted with 15 experts in the field of tourism, including university professors, officials, and activists in this field, first in a targeted manner and then in a snowball. In the quantitative section, paired comparisons were given to the same sample people in the qualitative section of the questionnaire. Finally, a hierarchical analysis was performed to analyze the data. Based on the research findings, nine main factors were identified for the international tourism branding of Oramanat, which obtained the most points in the order of the importance of infrastructure and facilities, attraction factor, and marketing and advertising factor. Administrative, political, and legal factors, tourists and agencies, brand building, stabilization, sociocultural, and economic factors were also placed as the following priorities. Finally, according to the results of the interviews, the factor of infrastructure and facilities is the region’s weakness. The attraction factor is its strength, so it is necessary to create facilities for accommodation, healthcare, communication, and transportation in the region and should be strengthened. Oramanat’s destination brand should be created around the attractions of the region that have the necessary capacity by using various marketing and advertising methods. Holding various conferences and forming a specialized committee to develop the branding program of the region are also essential and practical suggestions for facilitating matters.IntroductionOne of the tourist areas in Iran is the Oramanat region. Due to its historical, cultural, and natural attractions, this region can be a suitable destination for attracting tourists throughout the year, effectively empowering the people and organizing the region’s economy.Since there are few essential sources of income and economy in Oramanat, tourism can be an important source of income for the people of this area.However, the expected benefits from this industry have yet to be realized for the people of Oramanat, which may be the main reason for the improper management and planning, lack of necessary facilities, and minor and limited advertising. The combination of these factors has made the majority of tourists in the region from neighboring regions and provinces, and we have yet to see much success in attracting international tourists to this region.Due to the weakness in marketing and advertising, this region has many obstacles to introducing its tourist attractions.One of the subsets of marketing is branding. If we intend to attract international tourists, destination branding will be inevitable because there is fierce competition between different destinations to attract tourists. Our destination must create, maintain, or increase its market share in this competition. Therefore, considering the increasing importance of the tourism industry and the significant impact of this industry on necessary social, economic, and cultural fields, the importance of branding to attract tourists and the potential of Oramanat region in the field of attracting international tourists and also the global registration of the region, we decided to Let us look for the answer to this question, what branding model can lead to the development of international tourism in Oramanat region?Literature ReviewAccording to the definition of the World Organization (WTO), international tourism includes the activities of visitors who temporarily leave international borders and stay in destinations other than their place of work and residence for more than 24 hours. Although international tourism is an economic activity, it creates interaction between many people. International tourism increases the demand for services and facilities. Therefore, it creates challenges and opportunities for the host country and plays a vital role in the economic development process of many countries. The host country spends more to attract this type of tourists and earns more income through visitor expenses. One of the reasons for paying more attention to international tourism than domestic tourism is the positive impact of this tourism on economic growth through the creation of foreign exchange income and job creation.A brand is a set of communications that combines the name, sign, and symbol associated with a product. Brands convey attributes and meanings designed to enhance the value of a product beyond its functional value. The brand makes the product quickly recognized and repurchased by the customer.Branding of tourist destinations has also gained considerable popularity. The battle of customers in the destination market will not be about prices but hearts and minds. Destination branding is a way to communicate that destination’s specific and unique identity by differentiating its personality from competitor destinations. The overall objective of destination branding is to contribute to the positive image of the destination by continuously reinforcing brand elements. The brand is used as a common goal for the activities of many different actors in the tourism industry.The tourism brand should specify the attractions and capabilities of the destination for tourists. In addition to creating an emotional connection between tourists and the destination, the brand will reduce the cost of tourists' research. Suppose the brand leads to presenting a positive image of the destination to the tourists. In that case, the tourists will provide the necessary grounds to attract other tourists with positive word-of-mouth advertising, and this will be effective in reducing marketing and advertising costs.MethodologyThe current research is practical in terms of its purpose. In terms of the working method, it is exploratory mixed research that was carried out in two consecutive stages, qualitative and quantitative.In the beginning and the qualitative stage, the necessary data were collected using in-depth and semi-structured interviews to identify the factors influencing the branding of the Oramanat tourist destination. Then, these data were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method, and the more conceptually related factors were placed in the same category.In the second and quantitative stage of the research, a pairwise comparison questionnaire was prepared and provided to the experts to prioritize the mentioned factors. The studied community in both qualitative and quantitative sections consist of experts, specialists, officials, and professors in the fields of management, entrepreneurship, and tourism in Kurdistan and Kermanshah provinces, which include faculty members of the management and entrepreneurship department of Razi University, managers and experts Organization of cultural heritage and tourism of Kurdistan and Kermanshah provinces, as well as some tourism activists in these provinces.Sampling in this research was done in a targeted manner and then by snowball. Therefore, interviews were conducted with several experts in the field of tourism until we reached theoretical saturation. Theoretical saturation was achieved with 12 interviews, which continued until 15 people to ensure more interviews.In the quantitative part, pairwise comparisons were presented to the qualitative part of the questionnaire sample to give weight and points to the identified factors. The Expert Choice software determined each factor’s final weight and score in the final step. In this research, the reliability of the research was controlled by developing a framework for the interviews, confirming the interviews, and analyzing the results. Also, interviews were conducted with people in different positions to witness pluralism among the participants. The compatibility rate index, which should be less than 0.1, was used to measure the reliability of the paired comparisons questionnaire.DiscussionReviewing the texts and interviews shows that one of the most frequent factors related to the topic of discussion is the infrastructure and facilities of the tourist destination. A destination with many tourist attractions may need proper facilities and infrastructure to attract tourists. There may need to be more than infrastructure and facilities to build a tourism brand, but their absence effectively dose not attract tourists. Naturally, when a destination does not have the most basic facilities, it will not attract tourists, so it can eventually become a tourism brand. According to the participants’ statements in the interview, the Oramanat region lacks the necessary facilities and quality infrastructure, and this issue can be a strong reason for emphasizing this factor.The second most important factor in international tourism branding is destination attractions. Indeed, this factor, like infrastructure and facilities, is not a reason for creating a tourism brand. Every destination must have attractions to attract tourists: otherwise, it will not be a tourist destination. However, using these attractions as a prominent factor in brand building is effective. Especially if these attractions are specific to that destination, the destination brand can be formed by emphasizing that unique attraction. The destination brand is formed around its special attractions. One of the positive points of the Oramanat region is the existence of various historical, natural, and cultural attractions. The attractions alone are enough to use it in the destination brand, while Oramanat is a region rich in diverse and different tourist attractions.The first two factors, which were very important, are not directly involved in the branding process, but the marketing category is tied to branding and cannot be separated. The branding process is hidden in the marketing and advertising factor by looking at the concepts of this factor. Naturally, the destination should be evaluated at the beginning of the matter, and its potential capacities should be identified. By using a variety of marketing and advertising methods, its position should be established in the eyes of tourists as customers of the destination's tourism services. It is essential to use the unique features and attractions of the destination in advertising.One of the things that the experts mentioned about this factor and that was also available in the texts is the discussion of advertising and the use of different advertising methods due to the extensive advancement of technology. Using the multiple capacities of mass communication media and taking advantage of advanced technologies will be critical in building and introducing the destination brand. Regarding the Oramanat area, only a few advertising activities have been done. If something has been done, it has been scattered and limited, which has yet to impact significantly. Other factors also speed up the branding process according to the weight they have gained, and it is necessary to pay attention to these factors and not ignore their influence.ConclusionIn general, among the above-known factors in the Oramanat region, the lack of quality infrastructure and facilities to provide services to tourists is considered a weakness, and it is necessary to plan and take adequate measures in this regard. Let the authorities do it. Various attractions in this region are also considered to have potential and strength, and it is better to evaluate these attractions and identify the attractions that can form the region’s leading brand. Then, the marketing specialists in the tourism industry design the marketing and advertising processes based on it and create the destination brand of Oramanat. It is evident that managerial, political, legal, sociocultural, and economic factors and tourists and agencies have played a significant role in forming the region’s brand, and these factors should be mobilized to play their role in branding Oramanat.
Tourism planning
Ghasem Zarei; SeyedAli Naghavi
Abstract
Adequate comprehension of the challenges and influential elements of the religious tourism sector is necessary for its positive development. In this regard, the present research was conducted to present a model that can simulate the development of religious tourism in Yazd province by considering the ...
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Adequate comprehension of the challenges and influential elements of the religious tourism sector is necessary for its positive development. In this regard, the present research was conducted to present a model that can simulate the development of religious tourism in Yazd province by considering the influential factors. A mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) was carried out in this study, and the research method was applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of nature. The statistical population of this research included 12 theoretical and experimental experts. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data with non-random and purposeful sampling. In the qualitative section, the main and sub-categories of religious tourism development in Yazd province were identified using the thematic analysis method. Then, in the quantitative part, the identified influential factors were prioritized using the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) method. Finally, the criteria obtained from the qualitative research analysis were simulated using the agent-based modeling (ABM) method. Based on the research results, 35 initial codes, 12 sub-themes, and six main themes (religious tourism policies, economic, infrastructure, environmental empowerment, marketing, and cultural) were identified. Religious tourism policies were recognized as the most influential factor. Also, the results showed that at the end of the simulation period, the rate of religious tourism development in Yazd Province had reached 70%. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that tourism managers give particular attention to the influential factors that have been identified as having a significant impact on the development of religious tourism.IntroductionTourism is one of the most significant social and economic phenomena of the modern era, a valuable instrument for achieving development. Religious tourism is among the oldest forms of tourism and the largest market segment for travel. Today, this type of tourism has been able to place itself in the context of global tourism due to its unique structural and functional features, so its sphere of influence covers the whole world (Ghaffari et al., 2022). The vast country of Iran also has blessed places, shrines, and many holy places, which has made it favorable for the development of religious tourism. For this reason, knowing the capacities of the country's provinces is one of the most important influencing factors, among which is Yazd Province, which also has excellent potential for developing religious tourism. Therefore, according to the explanations presented above, this research aims to present a model that can simulate the development of religious tourism in Yazd Province by considering critical factors with a future research approach so that it can play a positive role in helping managers develop religious tourism.Literature ReviewOne of the main types of tourism created to travel to religious locations and fulfill religious obligations is religious tourism (Jamshidi et al., 2019). Religious tourism can be considered the most sustainable type of tourism because pilgrimage and religious tourism have their roots in religious beliefs, and in its specialized sense and beyond dependence on time and leisure, it is an essential factor of human geography in shaping travel, creating concentration and numerous cultural perspectives (Sharma et al., 2023).MethodologyThe current applied study employed a mixed methodology, combining qualitative and quantitative methods with a descriptive-analytical focus regarding the nature of the research. Managers of religious tourism and university faculty members made up the statistical population for this study. Due to the high number of experts in this field and the possibility of not knowing all theoretical experts (university faculty members) and practical experts (tourism managers) by the researcher, sampling by snowball method was continued until reaching theoretical saturation (N=12). Interviews and questionnaires were used to collect research data. The steps of this research are as follows:In the first step, the thematic analysis method, one of the qualitative methods, was used to identify the factors affecting the development of religious tourism in Yazd Province. In the second step, the ISM method was used to prioritize (level) the factors. In the third step, the development of religious tourism in Yazd Province was simulated.In the qualitative part of the research, the validity of the interview using the Q-sort method and its reliability using Cohen’s Kappa index were checked and confirmed. In the quantitative part of the research, the validity of the questionnaires using the relative content validity method and its reliability based on the test-retest method was evaluated and confirmed. Also, experts’ opinions were obtained during face-to-face interviews to check the validity of the Agent-Based Model.ResultsBased on the research results, 35 initial codes, 12 sub-themes, and six main themes were identified. Due to having the highest driving power and the lowest dependence power, the factor of religious tourism policies was placed in the fifth level of the ISM. It was recognized as the most influential factor. Also, the results showed that at the end of the simulation period, the rate of religious tourism development in Yazd Province was 70%.DiscussionAlthough with different degrees, all six factors are essential for the development of religious tourism, and their prioritization was only due to greater understanding and recognition of more influential factors. The results showed that at the end of the simulation period, the rate of religious tourism development in Yazd Province was 70%. Therefore, applying the discussed factors can influence the growth of tourism development and be used in the policies and actions of the relevant managers. In line with the results of the religious tourism development simulation, as a general policy, the managers of tourism organizations in Yazd Province should implement the current research model. In this way, the research model is implemented in a specific period, and its ability to improve the effectiveness of religious tourism development is measured if, in practice, the research model leads to development in future periods.ConclusionThe results of this study indicate that managers of religious tourism should incorporate the factors identified into their development plans and plan the long-term horizons of religious tourism around these factors. It is essential to remember that merely incorporating these elements into the plans for development is unlikely to result in complete development; as such, it is imperative to address this problem from a fundamental standpoint and consider other significant influencing factors that are occasionally external to the current system.
Elaheh Mohammadzadehlotfi; Tahereh Ashtiani; Fatemeh I zadiyazdani
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to investigate the effective factors in the development of historical tourism in times of crisis in Tehran with the approach of resistance economics. The method used is descriptive-analytical method. The sample size was determined based on Morgan table equal to 384 people. ...
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The purpose of this article is to investigate the effective factors in the development of historical tourism in times of crisis in Tehran with the approach of resistance economics. The method used is descriptive-analytical method. The sample size was determined based on Morgan table equal to 384 people. Data collection tools include a 59-item researcher-made questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using Friedman test and SPSS software and structural equation path analysis in AMOS software. Also, in terms of prioritizing the economic index with a coefficient of 0.27 in the first place, the infrastructure-structural index with a coefficient of 0.24 in the second place and the environmental index with a coefficient of 0.22 in the third place and the socio-cultural index with a coefficient of 0.19 in the fourth place.
Majid Goodarzi; Mohammad Ali Firoozi; Saeed Maleki; Karimeh Kaab Omeyr
Abstract
The present study is an applied-theoretical and methodological-descriptive-analytic one. The results showed that based on Pearson's analysis; there is a significant and direct significant relationship between the independent variables of the research and the dependent variable. The results of Friedman ...
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The present study is an applied-theoretical and methodological-descriptive-analytic one. The results showed that based on Pearson's analysis; there is a significant and direct significant relationship between the independent variables of the research and the dependent variable. The results of Friedman test indicate that the variable of weak tendency and low participation of private sector for investment with average rating of 55.4 has the highest score and the planning and management variable with average rating of 18.3 has the lowest rating. The results of the pls structural equation model are positive with respect to the share index and the redundancy index and a value of 0.01, 36.0 25.0 which is presented as the mean, moderate and low values for god, and obtain a value of 0.50 for the appropriate model gof. Confirms and indicates the impact of independent variables on the dependent variable of research.
