Tourism Management Studies

Evaluating the Competitiveness of Iran’s Winter Tourism Destinations

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Hooman Sabzavi 1
Amin Dehghan 2

1 Faculty of Management University of Tehran

2 Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences - University of Tehran

https://doi.org/10.22054/tms.2025.87098.3094
Abstract
With increasing competition in tourism and rising tourist expectations, destination competitiveness has become crucial. However, no comprehensive assessment of Iran’s ski resorts had been conducted. This study aimed to identify key competitiveness dimensions and rank active ski resorts in Iran using a mixed-method approach. In the qualitative phase, a systematic literature review and fuzzy Delphi technique with 18 experts led to the identification of 23 indicators in six main dimensions. In the quantitative phase, data from 302 tourism and sports professionals were collected through a validated questionnaire. One-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests were used for analysis. The results showed significant differences in competitiveness among the ski resorts. Tochal ranked highest in most dimensions, while Kakan had the lowest score. These findings provide valuable guidance for policymakers and stakeholders to evaluate and enhance the competitiveness of winter tourism destinations by focusing on key indicators and addressing destination-specific weaknesses.

Keywords

Destination Competitiveness
Winter Tourism
Ski Resort
Sport Tourism
Subjects
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Tourism Management Studies
Volume 20, Issue 72
Autumn 2026
Pages 255-302

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