Neda Torabi Farsani; Marzieh Hekmat; Hossein Sadeghi Shahdani; Aida Davoudian Dehkordi
Abstract
Nowadays, the impacts of tourism are one of the academic topics and concerns of experts in this field, and they are trying to increase its positive effects through network and cluster activity and find solutions to reduce the negative effects of tourism. Sustainable tourism requires the active performance ...
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Nowadays, the impacts of tourism are one of the academic topics and concerns of experts in this field, and they are trying to increase its positive effects through network and cluster activity and find solutions to reduce the negative effects of tourism. Sustainable tourism requires the active performance of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and museums can also play an axial role as educational institutions. Unfortunately, there is no close relationship between museums and NGOs in Iran, and the International Council of Museums (ICOM) is the only active NGO in this field. In contrast, the collaboration of NGOs and museums can be a step towards popularising the challenges facing sustainable tourism development. The objectives of the present research are: 1) to identify the factors affecting the participation of NGOs in promoting museums and sustainable tourism. 2) to explore the collaborative opportunities of NGOs and museums towards sustainable tourism development. In this regard, the qualitative method (thematic analysis) was used with the help of MAXQDA software. The statistical population of the research was the active members of NGO experts in the fields of tourism, culture, museum, environment, and geography. The data was collected using a semi-structured interview form. It is worth mentioning that the data reached saturation point in the 20th interview. The data coding results illustrated that moral and professional codes and policymaking influence NGOs’ participation in the development of museums and tourism. In addition, the five main themes of cooperative education, collaborative and interactive thinking, participatory advertising, holding joint events and exhibitions, and social participation were identified as collaborative opportunities for NGOs and museums towards sustainable tourism development. It should be pointed out that cooperation and partnership relations are a suitable alternative to competition in sustainable tourism, and this partnership facilitates the achievement of sustainable tourism goals, which have been at the forefront of central policy of global tourism development for more than two decades.IntroductionIn 1995, a charter with 18 principles was drawn up to implement sustainable tourism in Lanzarote Island, Spain. The ninth, thirteenth, and fifteenth principles emphasize the participation and role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in developing sustainable tourism. Today, NGOs play an essential role in the local communities' involvement, local empowerment, education, economic-social development, preservation of cultural and natural heritage, etc., as far as they can be called the public’s voice. NGOs play an essential role in education and culturalizing.Smithsonian; European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT); World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH); International et al. (TIES); The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO); International Council of Museums (ICOM) are examples of active international NGOs in tourism and museums.Currently, many NGOs are registered in Iran, and among them, ICOM of Iran is active in the field of cultural heritage and tourism and is the most well-known NGO in the field of museums. Addressing the discussion of NGOs in museums and sustainable tourism will increase the participation between NGOs and museums towards sustainable tourism. The role of NGOs as a speaker is to convey the museum’s voice. In addition, this research is an initial attempt to introduce the importance of NGOs and museums’ participation in sustainable tourism. Also, due to rising NGOs from the community and having voluntary human resources, they can create a closer relationship between the public and the museum through participating in sustainable activities.Literature ReviewSingh (1999: 92-94) argued that NGOs strive to develop sustainable tourism. Data analysis in the Goa, India case study illustrated that NGOs can also develop local socio-economic activities and play an essential role in community awareness. Liburd (2004: 105-109) stated that NGOs influence political processes and outcomes. Some authors (Butcher, 2006, pp. 307-310; Wearing et al., 2005: 424-439) noted that NGOs are trying to create a de-commoditized model of tourism that seeks sustainable tourism.Materials and MethodsThe present study includes two main objectives: 1) to identify the factors affecting the participation of NGOs in promoting museums and sustainable tourism. 2) to explore the collaborative opportunities of NGOs and museums towards sustainable tourism development. This research is exploratory, and a qualitative method (Thematic analysis) was applied. MAXQDA software was used as a tool for data analysis. The study’s statistical population consists of active NGO members, experts, and elites in geography, tourism, museums, environment, and culture. Data was gathered through the snowball sampling method. After each interview, the data was coded until the codes reached saturation point in the 21st interview, and no new codes were added to the previous codes. ResultsThe first goal of the research is to identify the factors influencing the participation of NGOs in promoting museums and sustainable tourism. The results of data analysis using a qualitative method (thematic analysis) demonstrated that policymaking (national and local) and moral and professional codes (external and internal) are two vital and effective components of the participation of NGOs in promoting museums and sustainable tourism. National policymaking includes eight sub-themes, which are: moral and financial support of the upstream institutions from NGOs, removal of difficult legal obstacles towards establishing NGOs, monitoring of organizations and the activities of NGOs, removal of legal obstacles when NGOs strive for implanting their ideas (another organization such as the police should not prevent them), creating a legal platform that recognizes the activities of the institutions, involving the supervision of NGOs in the government's decisions, creating a bottom-up approach to museum planning and development of tourism, not looking at NGOs politically. In addition to local policymaking, there are three sub-themes of participation of NGOs in local tourism development and planning projects: the cooperation of NGOs with gild merchant and local communities and the cooperation of NGOs with the diversity of social and age groups in order to communicate with the community visiting the museum. Also, the results of open and axial coding indicated that extra-institutional moral and professional codes are classified into four sub-themes, which include participation in international scientific and executive assemblies of museum science in order to announce sustainability conditions and activities; stakeholders' acceptance of the organization's participation; acquaintance of people with citizenship duties and issues of environmental protection and cultural heritage preservation; organized cooperation with other national and international organizations in order to share experiences towards promoting sustainable tourism and museums. It is worth noting that the togetherness and convergence of NGO members and the priority of collective interests; continuity in the systematic cooperation between the association and museums towards sustainable development of tourism; education and promotion of specialized knowledge in line with collaborative decision-making; developing the mission and vision of NGOs towards promoting sustainable tourism were identified as sub-themes of moral and professional codes.Furthermore, the five main themes of cooperative education, collaborative and interactive thinking, participatory advertising, holding joint events and exhibitions, and social participation were identified as collaborative opportunities for NGOs and museums towards sustainable tourism development. DiscussionNowadays, NGOs play a significant role in education, culturalizing, identity-building, and participation (Nouei & Saje, 2011) and can act as a collective voice for sustainable tourism. Sustainable tourism is a method of tourism that tries to minimize the adverse effects of travel and increase its positive effects by implementing the 18 principles. Meanwhile, as educational institutions, museums can achieve sustainable tourism goals with greater convergence and be the collective voice of sustainability in tourism destinations and museums. The results of data analysis with the help of software illustrated that moral and professional codes and policymaking are the factors influencing the participation of NGOs in the prosperity of museums and the promotion of tourism. Nouei and Saje (2011) also emphasize the cooperative role of the NGOs, but the innovation of the current research has been in identifying the collaborative opportunities of NGOs and museums towards sustainable tourism (cooperative education; collaborative and interactive thinking; participatory advertising; holding joint events and exhibitions and social participation). Training of tourism human resources and hosts; empowering local communities towards sustainable tourism; the use of museum space in sustainability education for the public; holding theoretical training workshops about sustainable tourism; providing consulting services to museums; acquaintance of people with citizenship duties and issues of environmental protection and cultural heritage preservation; holding a skill-based training workshop in about sustainable tourism and teaching intangible cultural traditions concerning historical assets through museum objects, including opportunities for cooperative education, have been identified. Other extractive open codes have yet to be considered in the literature review and are the new findings of the present research. Among the opportunities for cooperative and interactive thinking extracted from coding are the opportunities to collect financial aid for NGOs, participation in the establishment of museums, increase the power of access and interpretation of NGO's activities by the museum, creative participation towards sustainable tourism and the place to carry out the dialogues of NGOs. These current research results confirm other research (Kannike et al., 2021; Ouessar & Belhedi, 1999; Wilson, 2003). Creating employment and income for local people by attracting tourists and visitors to museums and tourist destinations; collecting intangible and tangible heritage towards sustainable tourism and museum management, and participating in strengthening pride and cultural identity are opportunities for social partnerships that experts have pointed out to promote sustainable tourism. It is worth mentioning that some researchers (Wilson, 2003) also emphasize creating employment and income for local people and strengthening pride and cultural identity in their research. Holding joint events and exhibitions regarding sustainability issues are not only the findings of the present study but also mentioned by Kannike et al., 2021. ConclusionLastly, NGOs are the representatives and voices of museums and sustainable tourism, and the production of content marketing by NGOs for museums and sustainable tourism increases the opportunity for cooperative advertising.
Tourism planning
Nima Khademi; Abbas Abbasi; Kazem Askarifar
Abstract
Local event tourism is one of the types of tourism that can play an essential role in the sustainable economic and social development of communities. However, this issue has received less attention. Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival is one of these events held every year in the spring season. This ...
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Local event tourism is one of the types of tourism that can play an essential role in the sustainable economic and social development of communities. However, this issue has received less attention. Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival is one of these events held every year in the spring season. This study aims to identify the factors that attract tourists to this event. For this purpose, the factors attracting tourists to the events were extracted by qualitative content analysis and then the tourists' opinions. Finally, a conceptual framework of
influencing factors on customers' tendencies, including 50 indicators in 15 components, was presented. Also, the quantitative analysis of Q data shows that accessibility, hospitality, and spending time with friends were essential for the first group of tourists, social interactions and event quality were necessary for the second group, patriotic and learning motives were important for the third group, and experience and enjoyment of the event were necessary for the fourth group. At the same time, natural attractions and enjoyment of the festival environment have been essential for all tourists, and these results can be a basis for formulating marketing strategies for local tourism events.
Introduction
During the last two decades, the tourism industry has increasingly strengthened the local economy due to its high diversity and convenient access. In addition, the development of the tourism industry causes benefits such as increasing the employment and income of residents, improving transportation, and, most importantly, protecting the cultural heritage of local communities. One of the types of tourism is event tourism, which has grown significantly in recent years. Event tourism is a form of travel with special interests in which people visit a special event to attend or along with their trip. One of the important products in tourism development has been an event in the form of cultural festivals. In this regard, local festivals as a branch of cultural events are considered one of travelers’ actions in rural areas.
On the other hand, due to its various natural, historical, and cultural attractions, Iran is considered one of the most capable countries in the world for organizing such events. For this reason, practical steps can be taken toward the successful development of this type of tourism by more closely examining the events and festivals held in the country. One of these local festivals is the Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival, held every year at the beginning of the rose-picking season for one month in the Meymand Fars region. In this regard, it will be beneficial to identify the effective factors in attracting tourists to this annual local event, to get a more detailed understanding of the affairs and a deeper understanding of the social, cultural, and economic realities of the region and to plan for the sustainable development of this region. However, this issue has received less attention despite its clarity and necessity. On this subject, the current research seeks to identify the indicators and components influencing the tendency of tourists to visit rural events by using the qualitative content analysis method and providing a conceptual framework of these factors. Then, by analyzing the data of Meymand Flower and Rose Festival tourists based on the conceptual model, the types of tourists of this local event were identified.
Materials and Methods
This research aims to identify the factors that attract event tourists to local festivals using the Q method in Meymand Flower and Rose Festival, Fars. In terms of purpose, this research is practical, and according to the approach and type of data, it can be categorized as mixed research. The current research was carried out in 2023 in Fars province regarding time and place. In this research, first, the qualitative content analysis method with a directional approach has been used to identify and determine the existing indicators.
Then, to know the mentality of participants in the Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival and collect data (using the Q method), all the customers who participated in this festival in 2023 were studied.
Discussion and Results
In the first step, based on the content analysis of the screened studies, the researchers reviewed the final studies several times to determine titles or themes. At this stage, the researchers identified the factors affecting tourists' tendency towards events. Since some words had the same meaning, the necessary overlaps were made, and some indicators were removed. In the next step, the content validity ratio of Lawshe was used to check the validity of indicators in rural tourism. After this step, the number of 50 indicators was finalized and categorized into 15 concepts. Then, in the quantitative part, the data obtained from the Q factor analysis methodology was used to identify and extract the mentality of tourists. For this purpose, the tourists' opinions about the factors affecting their attendance at the Meymand Flower and Rose Festival 2023 were collected. With exploratory factor analysis, the participants were selected based on the shared values and the role of the data in explaining the total explanatory variance, and finally, the Varimax rotation divided the rest into four groups after removing 30 of them.
Conclusions
In this research, an attempt was made to use a mixed approach; firstly, with the help of qualitative content analysis, the indicators and components of local festivals were identified, and then the mentality of the tourists of Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival was extracted as a study. Finally, a conceptual framework of influencing
factors on customers' tendencies, including 50 indicators in 15 components, was presented. Then, based on the results of the quantitative method, four groups of customers were identified in Meymand Rose and Rose Festival. Enjoying nature, weather, and flowers and plants are among the motivations that are common among all four groups; in other words, it was the common feature of all visitors to this festival. However, in the separated groups, the factors have a significant dispersion.
In the first group, the three factors of accessibility, hospitality of the destination, and spending time with friends are among the unique factors that have attracted them to this festival. This group constituted almost 37 percent of the participants in the research.
The second group, which included almost 27 percent of the sample of festival tourists, with a sense of loyalty to the event and satisfaction, considers this festival a platform for social interactions and feels a sense of national pride by attending it.
The third group is attracted to this festival with patriotic motives and the aim of learning, excitement, and making memories, and the festival’s popularity has been one of the main reasons for them. Finally, the fourth group of this festival has chosen a suitable place for photography and a space to enjoy holidays and relaxation with the intention of diversity in experience.
In this context, the most significant difference between the present research and the previous studies is related to the classification of factors affecting the tendency of tourists, so that in none of the mentioned researches, the factors influencing the attraction of event tourists to local festivals have not been reported in a comprehensive category.
Therefore, it is recommended to relevant provincial and national policymakers and patriot service providers to pay attention to the extracted effective indicators as the most key factors in their service strategy by recognizing the important characteristics of each category of tourists.
Hossein koohestani; Fatemeh Kazemiyeh; Amir Ali Vazifeh
Abstract
Rural tourism is a part of the tourism market and a source of employment and income, and it can be considered an essential tool for the economic, social, and ecological development of rural communities. The leading research based on the need for long-term planning in the field of rural tourism in Heris ...
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Rural tourism is a part of the tourism market and a source of employment and income, and it can be considered an essential tool for the economic, social, and ecological development of rural communities. The leading research based on the need for long-term planning in the field of rural tourism in Heris City, which is one of the most susceptible regions in the country in attracting rural tourism with various factors, is trying to reach a convincing answer to the question that the key and influencing factors on the future development of rural tourism in the city. Where is Heris? Based on the purpose, this is an applied study, and in terms of its nature and method, it is a descriptive-analytical study based on a prospective approach. Data collection tools included the use of (library) documents and interviews. To calculate validity, content and form validity methods and techniques were used. The reliability rate for "structural effects analysis" was 0.82. The panel of respondents consisted of 30 university professors and planning and development experts. This study identified 21 variables as primary factors and analyzed them with MicMac software. To determine the key drivers effective on the rural tourism approach of Heris City, based on the results of two methods, including "rank of variables in each mode" and "the total effect of variables in all modes," the key and effective factors were selected, which are "use of culture and rural art in presenting designs" and "paying attention to all levels and strata of society in presenting designs."
Introduction
Many development planners and policymakers refer to the tourism industry as the central pillar of sustainable development. Rural tourism is also considered a part of the tourism industry, which can play an influential role in developing these areas. As a result, proper planning and identifying the advantages and limitations of rural tourism, will achieve national development and diversification of the national economy. Leading research based on the need for long-term planning in the field of rural tourism in Heris City, which, with various factors, is one of the most susceptible regions in the country in attracting rural tourism, and due to its brilliant historical background and the presence of diverse weather, the scenic attractions have the ability to develop rural tourism. However, due to incorrect planning, it has yet to be successful in this field. According to the stated contents, the present research is trying to reach a convincing answer to the question of the key and influencing factors on the future development of rural tourism in Heris County.
Materials and Methods
In terms of the purpose, this is applied research, and in terms of the nature and method, it is of descriptive-analytical type, based on the prospective approach from the time dimension. According to the existing studies, the methods of obtaining information in the field of economic-social studies can be categorized in different ways. Based on the research objectives, data collection methods, and tools, including using documents, library documents, and interviews. To calculate validity, content and form validity methods and techniques were used so that it was accompanied by the guidance of scholars in this field to determine how well the questions represent the content and objectives of the research. Cronbach's alpha method was used to measure the reliability of the research questionnaire. According to each section, the questionnaire was provided to professors and experts in the mentioned field, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated in SPSS software. The reliability level for "structural effects analysis" is 0.82. The panel of respondents consists of 30 university professors in the fields of rural and urban planning, regional planning and tourism, social sciences, and economics, as well as planning and development experts, including experts from the Nomadic Affairs Organization, Sports and Youth Administration, Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, East Azarbaijan province, and Heris city. The present study identified 21 variables as primary factors and analyzed data with MicMac software. In the cross matrix, the sum of the row numbers of each factor, the amount of influence, and the column sums of each factor shows the influence from other factors.
Discussion and Results
The number of 21 influencing variables on rural tourism development in Heris County was selected using the panel interview session. Then, by forming a 21 x 21 matrix, the effects of each index on the other were identified with the number zero to three using the mutual effects analysis method. Then, the matrix results were entered into MicMac software and analyzed to extract the drivers. To structurally analyze the mutual effects of factors on each other, a 21x21 matrix was formed. The filling degree of the matrix is 92.063%, which shows that the selected factors had a large and scattered effect on each other, and in fact, the system was in an unstable state. Out of 385 relationships that can be evaluated in this matrix, 35 relationships are zero, meaning that the factors did not influence on or were not influenced by each other. Eighty-seven relationships have been established on number one, 157 on number two, and 162 on number three.
Conclusions
What can be understood from the state of the dispersion plane of the effective variables is the state of instability of the system. Most of the variables are scattered around the diagonal axis of the plane. Except for a few limited factors that show that they have a high impact on the system, the rest of the variables have almost the same status. To determine the key drivers effective on the rural tourism approach of Heris City, based on the results of two methods including "rank of variables in each of the states" and "total impact of variables in all states," the key and effective factors have been selected as follows. Utilizing rural culture and art in presenting plans; Attention to all levels and strata of society in presenting plans; Emphasizing intellectual independence and not imitating foreign models in the design of rural tourism projects; Looking at rural tourists as cultural ambassadors; Designing suitable spaces for holding ceremonies and traditional rituals using cultural symbols (designing cultural routes for tourists); and introducing the projects done on different sites in different languages.
Therefore, the vital and effective drivers that can be pointed out in this research for the planning approach of rural tourism development in Heris are the factors that emphasize all the studied aspects of the subject.
Tourism planning
Fatemeh Shekari
Abstract
Although the research on religious tourism experiences has increased in recent years, and given that most of the studies have been focused on the spiritual aspect of these experiences, there still needs to be more knowledge about the multiple attributes of religious tourists’ experiences. Therefore, ...
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Although the research on religious tourism experiences has increased in recent years, and given that most of the studies have been focused on the spiritual aspect of these experiences, there still needs to be more knowledge about the multiple attributes of religious tourists’ experiences. Therefore, the current study aims to provide an “integrated and multifaceted conceptual framework of religious tourists’ experiences” using a systematic literature review and deductive thematic analysis. The search was conducted on June 12, 2023. The PRISMA procedure identified fifty-three relevant articles ranging from 2006 to 2022. Based on the findings, the multifaceted religious tourists’ experiences can include cognitive, emotional, physical, relational, recovery, spiritual, transformative, and behavioral facets. The findings can extend the literature and benefit managers, planners, and destination marketing organizations in designing religious tourism experiences to enhance visitors’ satisfaction and destination competitiveness.
Introduction
In the 21st century, religious tourism and pilgrimages are critical components of the travel and tourism market (Albayrak et al., 2018). Bibliometric studies reveal the exponential growth of religious tourism studies in the last decade. Due to religious tourism’s benefits, destinations need to understand religious tourists' experiences to enhance destination competitiveness and attract these tourists. However, religious tourism experience is an emerging topic in the literature (Collins-Kreiner, 2020), and scant studies have been conducted on this topic (Bond et al., 2015). Also, most of the research has focused on the spiritual aspect and ignored other aspects to a large extent. Meanwhile, managers of religious sites should offer a holistic experience that embraces spiritual and non-spiritual complementary aspects (Durán-Sánchez et al., 2018). Considering the importance of understanding the religious tourists' experience and the inadequate studies in this field, especially the lack of comprehensive frameworks that include multiple aspects of the religious tourists’ experiences (Kim et al., 2020), the present study has systematically reviewed the literature to provide an “integrated, multifaceted religious tourism experience conceptual framework” and extends literature in this field.
Materials nd Methods
The present research employed a systematic literature review. Scopus was chosen as the database as it is the largest multidisciplinary database in social sciences (Aria et al., 2020). Also, compared to the Web of Science, it has a broader coverage of tourism journals (Lin & Rasoolimanesh, 2022). The search was conducted on June 12, 2023. The PRISMA procedure identified fifty-three relevant articles ranging from 2006 to 2022. The deductive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was done to determine the aspects and components of the religious tourists’ experience based on the “orchestra model” (Pearce & Mohammadi, 2021) and the “multifaceted conceptual framework of tourist experience” (Packer & Ballantyne, 2016).
Discussion and Results
Based on the findings, the “integrated, multifaceted framework of religious tourists’ experiences” includes cognitive, affective, physical, relational, restorative, spiritual, transformative, and behavioral facets, each includes the following aspects:
Cognitive: reflection, learning or discovering, perceived authenticity, perception of setting attributes, mental engagement, and remembering
Affective: joy, awe or wonder, attachment, hope, pride, discontent
Physical: sensory engagement, bodily engagement, or challenge
Relational: social interaction and sharing, communitas
Restorative: peacefulness or relaxation, escape, nourishment, freedom
Spiritual: spiritual connection, religiousness or closeness to God or sacred people, communion with nature, purification
Transformative: self-growth or fulfillment, liminality or flow, identity construction
Behavioral: religious site or ritual-specific (religious), non-religious (touristic)
Conclusions
Theoretically, this research attempted to provide a multifaceted perspective of the religious tourists’ experience, employing a systematic literature review. Therefore, it has presented the most recent overview of the topic and identified the theories used, methodologies, study context, and experience attributes. By providing an “integrated, multifaceted conceptual framework of the religious tourist experience,” the present study contributes to extending the literature. This research used the existing frameworks to categorize the attributes of experience. It also added new facets and components. Three facets, namely restorative, spiritual, and transformative, can be added to the “orchestra model of tourist experience” (Pearce & Mohammadi, 2021). Also, the religious tourism-related components of communitas (relational), hope (affective), religiousness or closeness to God or sacred people, communion with nature, purification (spiritual), and liminality or flow (transformative) were added. Other components were also included that may be helpful to describe more general tourism experiences: perceived authenticity and mental engagement (cognitive), self-expression and social acceptance (relational), and identity construction (transformative). This framework needs to be more comprehensive, and future research may add other facets and components. The findings can extend the literature and benefit managers, planners, and destination marketing organizations in designing religious tourism experiences to enhance visitors' satisfaction and destination competitiveness. Finally, study limitations and future research directions are proposed, including cross-cultural studies to compare results and enhance the generalizability of the findings, examining the proposed framework in various religious destinations contexts, paying more attention to Muslim religious tourists’ experiences, considering the role of information and communication technologies, and investigating the interactions of the framework components.
tourism management
Ayoub Pazhouhan; Moslem Fallahi
Abstract
Religious tourism, a branch of cultural tourism, can stimulate development, especially in rural areas. This research was conducted to conceptualize a religious tourism development model emphasizing the holy sites of Kermanshah province. The research approach was of qualitative and Grounded Theory type; ...
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Religious tourism, a branch of cultural tourism, can stimulate development, especially in rural areas. This research was conducted to conceptualize a religious tourism development model emphasizing the holy sites of Kermanshah province. The research approach was of qualitative and Grounded Theory type; the research sample comprised experts in the field of religious tourism. Accordingly, 16 semi-structured and in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants using the purposeful sampling method. The four criteria of Lincoln and Guba, including credibility, transferability, reliability, and verifiability, were used to measure the validity and comply with the qualitative research features, validation, accuracy, and robustness of the data. The reliability of the research was also assessed using the test-retest reliability method, with 77% reliability. Strauss and Corbin’s systematic approach analyzed data. Through three open, central, and selective coding procedures, the content analysis results yielded 71 concepts, 14 sub-categories, and six main categories. Finally, the paradigmatic religious tourism development model was presented, in which the development of religious tourism was chosen as the central phenomenon affected by the causal conditions of the research. Contextual and intervening conditions and the central phenomenon formed religious tourism development strategies, and economic, cultural, and social development outcomes were obtained. In the end, practical suggestions were presented for developing religious tourism in Kermanshah province.Introduction"Religious tourism" is one of the oldest forms of tourism and plays an important role in the history of tourism development. Religious tourism includes people who travel for religious or spiritual purposes and visit religious places or participate in religious activities and festivals. In other words, religious tourism refers to all types of trips made with voluntary religious motivation, without pay, and for a limited period.Kermanshah province, with 16,550 sacred places and monuments, is one of the provinces with the potential to attract religious tourists. Despite the potential and attractions that Kermanshah province has in the field of tourism in general and religious tourism in particular, the category of religious tourism in this province should be addressed more. This matter has been neglected from the point of view of the trustees and planners of the matter.This research aims to develop a religious tourism development model with an emphasis on blessed and religious places and locations in Kermanshah province to creat employment and reduce the unemployment rate. So, the current study seeks to answer this question, what kind of model does Kermanshah province has for the development of religious tourism with an emphasis on blessed and religious places?Materials and MethodsThe current research is qualitative in terms of paradigm, developmental-applicative in terms of purpose, and exploratory and ground-theoretical in terms of method. The studied community of the research was made up of experts in the field of religious tourism. Based on this, 16 semi-structured and in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants using the purposeful sampling method. The data were analyzed using the systematic approach of Strauss and Corbin. In order to analyze the data, three types of coding were used, which include open coding (creating concepts and categories), axial coding (identifying the core category, causal conditions, contextual and environmental conditions, intervening conditions, strategies, and consequences) and selective coding (creation of theory). In order to measure the validity and comply with the qualitative features of the research, validation, accuracy, and robustness of the data, the four criteria of Lincoln and Goba, such as reliability, transferability and appropriateness, reliability and stability, and verifiability, were used. The reliability of the research was also calculated using the test-retest reliability method, and 77% was obtained.ResultsConclusions The resulting Paradigm Model identified welfare and religious attractions as "causal conditions." The mentioned factors are the factors that make the development of religious tourism necessary and inevitable. Religious tourism development strategies include promotional strategies, infrastructural strategies, collaborative strategies, and human resource strategies that are affected by factors such as advertising management and integrated tourism management as "intervening conditions" And "background conditions" such as residents' attitude about the consequences of tourism and residents' attitude towards religious and cultural responsibilities towards pilgrims and tourists. Finally, the development of religious tourism leads to the emergence of "consequences of the development of religious tourism," such as "economic development," such as an increase in rial and foreign exchange income and the prosperity of the tax system, creating job opportunities for the local people of the province, expanding commercial and welfare centers around religious attractions. The province, the prosperity of local industries and products of the province, the employment of women and students on a part-time basis, and the attraction of domestic and foreign capital to the province; and "cultural and social development" such as cultural interaction and expansion of cultural exchanges of the province, strengthening of religious thinking among the local community of the province, awareness of the local community of cultural-religious assets, sense of pride of the local community in cultural-religious assets, strengthening of cultural character and increasing respect pilgrims are given the opportunity to strengthen religious and Islamic culture and rites between guilds and trades, and to revive local-religious traditions and manners. Based on the research findings, somepractical suggestions are presented to develop religious tourism in Kermanshah province
Marketing economics
Nader Seyed kalali; Elham Heydari; kamyar Raissifar
Abstract
In recent years, the economic potential of the tourism industry has attracted the attention of economic players. Studying the performance of active businesses in this industry and identifying effective factors in it has become more important. One of the variables that have been studied in this regard ...
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In recent years, the economic potential of the tourism industry has attracted the attention of economic players. Studying the performance of active businesses in this industry and identifying effective factors in it has become more important. One of the variables that have been studied in this regard has been entrepreneurial orientation. Most studies have shown that entrepreneurial orientation positively affects performance as a unidimensional construct. However, scholars have urged to investigate the effects of the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation on performance separately due to the existence of contradictory results and different conceptualizations. Moreover, adding other variables as moderators or mediators of this relationship has been helpful. In the present research, the effects of innovativeness, proactiveness, and riskiness on the performance of Iran's tourism sector firms, considering the mediating effect of marketing capabilities and the moderating effect of learning culture, have been studied.
Introduction
Despite the vast potential of tourism in Iran, this industry has yet to grow enough. One of the reasons for this is the conditions of the enterprises working in this sector. Growth occurs when companies make a profit and capital increase becomes possible. The profits of travel agencies in Iran are usually low, and their managers need help to grow their businesses. Managing these firms is a critical factor in their success, and understanding how travel agencies in Iran can perform better than their competitors is of major importance.
The strategic management domain is concerned with studying how organizations grow. Various factors can have an impact on the performance of firms. Among them, strategic orientations can be named. Entrepreneurial orientation is one of the major strategic orientations. Many empirical studies have shown that firms with entrepreneurial orientation have high-performance levels.
The question is how entrepreneurial orientation can affect performance. Drawing on the capability theory of the firm, we study how the entrepreneurial orientation strengthens organizational capabilities, including marketing capabilities, and these capabilities affect performance. Marketing capabilities are organizational capabilities that target current and potential customers of the firm and encompass functions such as pricing, promotion, distribution, product/service development, communications, and marketing planning.
Contextual factors such as organizational culture should also be taken into account. Companies have different characteristics that reflect their culture. This research studied the effects of entrepreneurial orientation and learning culture on business performance with the mediating effect of marketing capabilities.
Methods
This study looks at travel agencies in Teheran and uses a questionnaire to gather data. The survey has been piloted to ensure the questions are clear and comprehensible. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized for data analysis. The Partial Least Squares (PLS) method was used because its characteristics have led to its increasing application in strategy and entrepreneurship research. One hundred three surveys were collected from travel agency managers in Teheran.
Results
The survey results indicate that proactiveness and innovativeness significantly impact and marketing capabilities mediate this relationship. The impact of riskiness on performance is not significant. In addition, although the moderating effect of the learning culture is not confirmed, its positive effect, as an independent variable on marketing capacities, is significant.
Conclusion
This study aims to evaluate the connection between research variables in the tourism sector of Iran through the use of the capability theory of the firm. The results indicate that the performance of travel agency firms is influenced by the resources and capabilities of firms. The managers of these firms are involved with the day-to-day administration of their firms’ issues. They need to pay more attention to their business’s innovative, proactive, and risky nature, which may impact their performance. This research emphasizes the role of strategic orientation, capabilities, and cultural dimensions in improving business performance. The sample of this research is limited to the managers of the travel agencies and the geographical area of Tehran in Iran. Therefore, prospective researchers may conduct studies in other industries and geographic areas. They may also utilize larger samples. Future research may explore the role of other cultural dimensions in the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and performance. Prospective researchers may also study the role of several marketing capabilities separately in mediating the impact of entrepreneurial orientation on performance.
Tourism planning
Pedram Farhadi; Nazanin Tabrizi
Abstract
This research aims to assess the benefits of gamification and its impact on tourism development at the historical site of Persepolis. The research methodology employed in this study is descriptive-analytical and is based on documentary studies, field investigations, and researcher-designed questionnaires. ...
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This research aims to assess the benefits of gamification and its impact on tourism development at the historical site of Persepolis. The research methodology employed in this study is descriptive-analytical and is based on documentary studies, field investigations, and researcher-designed questionnaires. The target population for this research consists of active individuals in the tourism industry, with a sample size of 354 participants selected. Data analysis was conducted using tests such as average variance extracted (AVE), Fornell-Larcker, factor loading coefficients, Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, and structural equation modeling, utilizing SPSS and Smart PLS software. The results of this study indicate that gamification exhibits a positive and significant relationship with all four dimensions under investigation: education, branding, loyalty, employment, and income generation. Gamification at Persepolis provides a recreational and educational experience and enables tourists to engage with the culture and history of the country they are visiting in a novel and interactive manner. With an enhanced tourist experience through gamification, Persepolis is poised to become a unique and captivating tourist destination.IntroductionThe text discusses the concept of "Gamification," which involves integrating game elements into non-game contexts. It was first introduced in 2008 and has since been applied in various fields, including tourism. However, its use in the tourism industry is still early. Gamification in tourism can enhance tourist interactions, satisfaction, brand awareness, and loyalty. It offers both external benefits, such as trip planning, and internal benefits, providing virtual travel experiences. Location-based and online games are vital in engaging tourists during their journeys. Gamification can be applied in organizational training programs to boost employee participation and skill acquisition. Overall, gamification is an innovative approach with the potential to transform how tourists engage with destinations, creating more exciting and interactive travel experiences. This article explores its application in the historical context of Persepolis, emphasizing its impact on branding, education, loyalty, and marketing in tourism. This article represents one of the initial academic endeavors in Iran to explore the significance and advantages of gamification in the historical and cultural context of Persepolis, shedding light on its potential impact on branding, education, loyalty, marketing, and the overall development of tourism at this historical site.Materials and methodsThis study aimed to evaluate the benefits of gamification and its impact on the tourism development of the historic Persepolis area. This study is of descriptive-analytical practical purposes, and the sampling method was simple randomization, with the study population including professors and tourism activists, 354 sampled according to Cochran's formula.Discussion and ResultsThe findings indicate that all hypotheses achieved statistical significance, thereby confirming the primary hypothesis of this investigation. Consequently, substantial associations exist among destination marketing, tourism education, and loyal tourists. It is evident that gamification positively influences tourism development in the Persepolis region.ConclusionsTravel should offer tourists a meaningful and engaging experience, and gamification is pivotal in achieving this objective within the tourism industry. The primary goal of implementing a gamification system is to induce a cognitive and emotional impact on users. In this context, it is essential to consider individuals’ intrinsic motivations, which revolve around engaging in an activity solely for its inherent enjoyment rather than being driven by external rewards, pressures, or stimuli.This research has unveiled further insights across various domains, including marketing, economic prosperity, and employment generation. By incorporating games that revolve around Persepolis’s rich history and culture, tourists are encouraged to spend extended periods in Marvdasht, subsequently fostering job creation and local community engagement. The gamification framework in tourism also contributes to developing sustainable tourism practices.Furthermore, brand attraction is deemed a crucial aspect of capital in the tourism sector, prompting extensive efforts in marketing to allure and retain tourists. Gamification significantly enhances the overall tourist experience, instrumental in retaining existing customers and enticing new visitors.
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