Volume 17, Issue 57 , March 2022
Mohammad Reza Karimi Alavijeh; Maryam Golestani
Abstract
Introduction
Travel marketers use the appeal of scarcity messages as a promotional tool and technique to make the product or service more attractive with the ultimate aim of selling faster and more. Scarcity messages have proved to be extremely practical and effective, especially in the online environment. ...
Read More
Introduction
Travel marketers use the appeal of scarcity messages as a promotional tool and technique to make the product or service more attractive with the ultimate aim of selling faster and more. Scarcity messages have proved to be extremely practical and effective, especially in the online environment. As a basic concept of economics, scarcity has found its way into various fields, such as psychology and marketing. Considered a promotional technique, the concept of scarcity practically works based on the idea that customers tend to value and buy rare products more than the products that are plentiful. In this respect, certain stimuli can cause scarcity by denoting the rarity of a product or service. There are two types of scarcity: limited-time and limited-quantity. Concerning the former, a product or service becomes available for a pre-defined limited period. In contrast, limited-quantity scarcity refers to the availability of a product or service as a function of supply or demand. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of scarcity messages on tourists’ impulsive buying motivation and impulsive buying behavior while booking online with an eye to the moderating role of the travel experience.
Materials and Methods
As an applied research, the present study used the method of quantitative, descriptive survey. The questionnaire was used for data collection, and the statistical population included all Iranian tourists who had experience in booking and purchasing tourism products online. In accordance with Morgan’s table, 384 samples were selected through convenience sampling. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypotheses, and the analysis was performed by WARP PLS5 software.
Results and Discussion
The results showed the positive effect of limited-time scarcity messages on impulsive buying motivation, of impulsive buying motivation on impulsive buying behavior, of limited-quantity scarcity messages based on high demand on impulsive buying motivation, and of limited-quantity scarcity messages based on low supply on impulsive buying motivation. However, the travel experience had no moderating role in the relationship between limited-time scarcity messages and impulsive buying motivation, which rejects the research hypothesis. The results can have implications for both research and administrative sections.
Conclusion
The present study investigated the effect of scarcity messages on tourists’ impulsive buying motivation and impulsive buying behavior while booking online with an eye to the moderating role of the travel experience. The results of path analysis confirmed four hypotheses but rejected one. Both limited-quantity scarcity (due to high demand or low supply) and limited-time scarcity can increase the motivation of tourists while booking online, which in turn leads to impulsive buying. This finding supports the influence of motivation on impulsive buying, indicating a direct relationship between the two. However, the travel experience has no moderating role in the relationship between limited-time scarcity messages and impulsive buying motivation. Therefore, businesses can post messages on their online platforms with the theme of a 20% discount (with only one day left to use the discount for booking and buying) so that tourists can book and buy right away. The messages containing exciting sentences should be published, and motivated people should be shown different stimuli, such as easy access and tips and advice in booking. In addition, publicizing the services and reservations bought by a group of customers (e.g., a team of coworkers, a group of friends, a family, etc.) at the same time can led to an increase in the motivation of tourists. Furthermore, the messages featuring the theme of limited capacity for product or service should be provided for tourists on websites, platforms, and social networks in order to make the product or service more valuable, hence more motivation and willingness to buy and book. It is recommended that future researchers conduct more in-depth quantitative and qualitative analyses about causes and conditions of scarcity in the tourism industry. The present study did not make a distinction between different platforms and their respective customers. Therefore, it is suggested that future research be conducted on a single platform of online booking and shopping in the tourism industry. In addition to the status of a given platform, the quality of the platform should be considered in studying the effect of scarcity messages. Finally, the B2B and C2C markets can be viable candidates for future studies.
Sahar Pirjamadi; Morteza Motahhari; Mehdi Karoubi; Ahmad Mahmoudi
Abstract
Introduction
The tourism industry, as the largest and most diverse industry in the world, is nowadays considered an essential source of income and an influential factor in cultural exchanges between countries. Many developed and developing countries consider this dynamic industry as the primary source ...
Read More
Introduction
The tourism industry, as the largest and most diverse industry in the world, is nowadays considered an essential source of income and an influential factor in cultural exchanges between countries. Many developed and developing countries consider this dynamic industry as the primary source of income, job creation, private sector growth, and infrastructure development (Camilleri, 2018). Sport is also a significant and important industry in the current world. The integration of sports and tourism creates one of the most impressive modern service industries, namely the sports tourism industry (Cho et al., 2019). Gibson defines sports tourism as leisure-based travel in which people temporarily leave their homes to play or watch physical activities or see the attractions associated with those activities (Amin-Rostamkolaee & Poursoltani, 2019). The important point worthy of attention is the fact the climate of each region has a significant impact on drawing the future lines of tourism development. The multiple capabilities of receiving tourists in different areas and regions throughout the year pave the way for increasing tourism capacity, especially sports tourism (Karimi et al., 2018). In this regard, the free trade, industrial, and economic zones in Iran have unique capabilities for investment and planning in sports tourism, considering their favorable climate and various attractions and natural landscapes. Due to their special geographical and climatic location, most of these areas have ecological potential for attracting tourists, including pristine beaches, anticlines, and synods (Savadi et al., 2019). Therefore, tourism marketing for a country or a region is essential since marketing can provide potential tourists with information about what the region can offer, thus encouraging them to visit it (Nekmahmud et al., 2020). As one of the main pillars of the national development process, the sports tourism industry requires specific missions, visions, strategies, and policies, especially in free trade zones. In their research, Szemkovics et al., (2018) concluded that cultural-tourist indicators in an area increase the likelihood of investing in those areas. Kodirovna et al., (2020) stated that advertising in tourism is intended not only to attract tourists but also to create a clear and positive image of tourists, so advertising helps tourists to get acquainted with the place before a personal visit. Concerning the obstacles to the development of sports tourism, Abedi et al., (2021) refer to infrastructure as a matter of the utmost importance. Moreover, holding festivals and competitions of water and beach sports were identified as new strategies for developing sports tourism. Free trade zones with favorable climatic conditions, beautiful nature, and historical monuments and natural sites have many capabilities for establishing tourist activities, especially in the realm of sports. Every free zone also has its own special sports and sports competitions that can increase the number of tourists, including spectators, participants and organizers, and others.
Materials and Methods
As an applied research, the present article relies on the qualitative and exploratory method, coupled with the field method used to obtain data. The study explores and identifies the marketing feasibility indicators of sports tourism development in free trade, industrial, and economic zones in Iran. The statistical population of the study included all experts and knowledgeable individuals in the sports tourism industry; experts and professors in sports management with scientific and research backgrounds in sports tourism; tourism managers in free trade, industrial and economic zones; and scientists who had the necessary expertise related to the research. The research conducted a purposeful sampling to achieve an appropriate sample.
Results and Discussion
Twenty-one interviews with experts were conducted and then analyzed by MAXQDA software. A total of 341 primary identifiers were extracted. Having summarized and merged the identifiers that were semantically and conceptually common, the study identified a total of 145 identifiers categorized under 23 main categories and seven general concepts, as described below. The identified concepts and the relevant categories are as follows: 1) Promotion and advertising of tourist attractions (application of new digital and communication technologies, specialized and professional approach to advertising, environmental advertising, written and tangible advertising, virtual social media, and national media); 2) readiness and capacity-building in attracting domestic and foreign tourists (cultural and social capacity-building, management of tourist attractions, advertising and marketing, provision of quality of desirable services, support and reception from the private sector and investors); 3) stakeholder integration (local residents, government support for investment, and interaction and cooperation between organizations); 4) market risk acceptance (market risk, economic capacities, and free zones trade); 5) recognition of infrastructural and natural capacities (infrastructural facilities, natural attraction facilities, historical monuments, and support facilities); 6) past experiences and approaches (innovative and modern experiences and negative experiences); 7) experiences of neighboring countries in tourism development (successful experiences).
Conclusion
Among the mentioned components, the most frequent one is natural attraction facilities, which is consistent with the findings in Szemkovics et al. (2018). Their research concluded that cultural-tourist indicators in an area increase the likelihood of investing in those areas. Concerning the crystallization of sport as a need, sports tourism development, and its largest share in service industries in the world with further specialization, tourism nowadays provides the opportunity for every destination area to benefit from tourism. At the heart of this development, sports tourism can lead to new job opportunities as well as employment of women and the youth in activities related to the industry. Tourism potentialities are unique assets for each country, it is thus important to identify, classify, and plan for sports tourism. In fact, sports tourism requires comprehensive and efficient planning. At the same time, free trade zones, due to their unique features and capabilities, possess high potential for the development of the sports tourism industry. In this respect, the first economic effect of tourism is an increase in income for local residents in tourist areas, be it individual or collective income. The results of the present study suggest that the managers of Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (including managers of investment, infrastructure and sample tourism areas, domestic tourism development, monitoring and evaluation of tourism services, cultural heritage and tourism free zones), of Ministry of Sports and Youth, of the organizations and relevant and influential departments and agencies (e.g., municipalities and decision makers) develop the tourism infrastructure in free zones concerning tourism hotels, transportation, etc.; improve the quality of existing infrastructure to increase tourist satisfaction and attract more tourists; establish recreational and sports complexes; pay more attention to areas with lower sports tourism infrastructure, to the establishment of special headquarters for sports tourism, training and recruitment of creative sports tourism specialists to maintain this national capital in Iran; increase funding for sports tourism in free zones; increase social and cultural security, prepare comprehensive and creative sports tourism plans in free zones; consistently publish books, articles, catalogs and photos of sports tourism attractions in free zones; pay attention to the growth and development of natural and urban environments, including natural attractions; use marketing and advertising techniques; conduct needs analysis; focus on purposeful activity of sports delegations in free zones; hold sports competitions organized by sports federations and hosted by free zones; and use the experiences of other prosperous countries.
Maryam Mahmoudi; Mohammad Chizari; khalil kalantari; Abdolreza Roknadin Eftekhari
Abstract
Introduction
As one of the multifunctional agricultural strategies, agritourism refers to farming-related activities carried out on a working farm or other agricultural settings for recreational, tourism, and educational purposes (Arroyo et al., 2013). Despite the suitable conditions in the coastal ...
Read More
Introduction
As one of the multifunctional agricultural strategies, agritourism refers to farming-related activities carried out on a working farm or other agricultural settings for recreational, tourism, and educational purposes (Arroyo et al., 2013). Despite the suitable conditions in the coastal provinces of the Caspian Sea, agritourism activities have not yet developed much in those areas. In this respect, the present study intended to investigate and identify the factors influencing the provision and development of tourism services by gardeners in the coastal provinces of the Caspian Sea, namely Golestan, Gilan, and Mazandaran.
Materials and Methods
The statistical population of this research included all multifunctional and monofunctional gardeners in Golestan, Gilan, and Mazandaran provinces. Using Cochran’s formula, the study calculated the sample size of monofunctional gardeners to be equal to 280 people (N=12004). A stratified random sampling method was to select the samples. Moreover, the research employed the estimation method since there was no valid data on the population size of gardeners providing agricultural tourism services (or multifunctional gardeners). For this purpose, the managers, officials, farmers, and village residents were interviewed, through which the statistical population of multifunctional gardeners was estimated to be 240 individuals. Using the Morgan sampling table, the study calculated the sample size to be 148 participants selected through convenience sampling. A questionnaire was used to collect data. Cronbach’s alpha method was employed to calculate the reliability of the questionnaire. Considering the results of completing 30 pre-test questionnaires in Roknkola village located in Ghaemshahr city, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was calculated to be higher than 0.7 for all sections of the questionnaire. Finally, the descriptive and inferential statistics (logistic regression test), done by SPSS software, were used to analyze the data.
Results and Discussion
This study showed that the relatively positive attitude of multifunctional gardeners providing agritourism services in their gardens towards agritourism whereas the monofunctional gardeners had a neutral perspective. The levels of knowledge and skills of monofunctional and multifunctional gardeners concerning agritourism development were moderate and high, respectively. According to the results, participation in entrepreneurship training courses, the level of knowledge and skills in agritourism development, entrepreneurial skills and spirit, and gardeners’ attitude towards agritourism explained 66.7 percent of the dependent variable (provision of agritourism).
Conclusion
According the research results, the two variables of age and income level did not significantly affect the prediction of the variable of acceptance and implementation of tourism businesses. In contrast, the farmers’ entrepreneurial knowledge and skills were found to be one of the variables influencing the acceptance and implementation of multifunctional agriculture and diversification of agricultural activities, including the provision of agritourism services. Hence, it is recommended that the entrepreneurial skills of farmers be strengthened as a creative and innovative response to environmental changes, including agricultural multifunctionality. Other recommendations are: Organizing appropriate training courses to strengthen farmers’ skills and entrepreneurial spirit using a balanced combination of human and technical communication skills; providing entrepreneurship education in school, vocational schools, and agricultural colleges in order to introduce and strengthen the concept and spirit of entrepreneurship; training the entrepreneurial workforce in cooperation with Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agricultural Jihad, and non-governmental organizations; establishing a system of incentives (esp. financial incentives) or subsidies for the farmers who have a specific business management plan; and providing financial and monetary funding for the projects with a prerequisite for entrepreneurship education.
Seyyed Mohammad Mirtaghian Rudsari; Ahmad Pourahmad; Keramatollah Ziari
Abstract
Introduction
Better management of competition in the cultural heritage tourism requires the understanding of the behavior and interaction with the tourist (Chen & Rahman, 2018). The importance of understanding loyalty of cultural heritage tourists as well as the factors affecting it is highlighted ...
Read More
Introduction
Better management of competition in the cultural heritage tourism requires the understanding of the behavior and interaction with the tourist (Chen & Rahman, 2018). The importance of understanding loyalty of cultural heritage tourists as well as the factors affecting it is highlighted in the research literature focused on successful experiences in loyalty in cultural heritage tourism in the world (Chen & Rahman, 2018) as well as in specific destinations, such as Spain (Forgas-Coll et al., 2017), China (Yi et al., 2018), Macau (Wu & Li, 2017), India (Verma & Rajendran, 2017), and Ireland (Kempiak et al., 2017).
The tourist satisfied with his/her experience of Ramsar’s cultural heritage will likely travel again and make public advertisements about the city. Loyalty to the cultural heritage of Ramsar is considered an essential element for the sustainability of this destination and an important factor contributing to the competitive advantage and success in the tourism market. Furthermore, any attempt at enhancing tourist loyalty to the cultural heritage can significantly reduce the tourism pressure and overtourism in Ramsar beach and forests. In this respect, the present study tries to answer the key questions as what factors and to what extent affect loyalty of the tourists visiting the cultural heritage of Ramsar.
Materials and Methods
A descriptive and explanatory research, the present study is a quantitative attempt based on the path analysis method. The statistical population of the study includes the Iranian visitors who visited the cultural heritage attractions of Ramsar, which was estimated to be 780 individuals. The research employed convenience non-random sampling method. The data was collected through an electronic questionnaire administered from March 2019 to May 2019. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed by exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha, respectively. Moreover, the study used SPSS25 software to perform the classification as well as some data analysis, and the path analysis with Lisrel 8.5 Software to test the hypotheses.
Results and Discussion
The findings indicate that the variables of authenticity, image, and memorability of the cultural heritage attractions of Ramsar affect neither tourist satisfaction nor tourist trust. Moreover, the variables of authenticity, image, participation, and memorability do not affect tourist loyalty. The confirmed hypotheses suggest that the variables of perceived value, participation, and quality positively and directly affect satisfaction, trust, and loyalty of the tourists visiting the cultural heritage of Ramsar. In addition, the variable of satisfaction has effects on trust and loyalty, and the variable of trust was found to have affected tourist loyalty.
Conclusion
As the main conclusion, the effects of attitude towards cultural heritage and experience of consuming cultural heritage on tourist loyalty were found to be stronger than the effect of individual variables on loyalty of the tourists visiting the cultural heritage of Ramsar. The variables of attitude towards cultural heritage and experience of consuming cultural heritage have a synergic effect, which means that the two variables together can have a significant impact on tourist loyalty. In fact, loyalty of the tourists visiting the cultural heritage of Ramsar is affected by all the variables of attitude towards cultural heritage and experience of consuming cultural heritage. Accordingly, the following recommendations are offered: to use local staff and space to provide cultural heritage tourism services; to balance the time and financial cost of delivering cultural heritage tourism services; to combine cultural heritage tourism with games, narration, and synergistic music, and offer an authentic environment—as it makes it fun to visit or participate in the cultural heritage attractions of Ramsar; and finally to diversify cultural heritage tourism products and the ways they are presented—based on market research (market segmentation) and destination research (existing capacities or capacity building).
Ali asghar Mobasheri; Fatemeh Shekari; Moslem Bagheri; Zahra Moaven; Mehrdad Kiani
Abstract
Introduction
Ecotourism can serve as one of the effective strategies for economic, social, and environmental development of destinations. Nowadays, many policies aim to develop ecotourism and utilize its benefits, especially in the developing countries with rich natural resources. Iran is one of the ...
Read More
Introduction
Ecotourism can serve as one of the effective strategies for economic, social, and environmental development of destinations. Nowadays, many policies aim to develop ecotourism and utilize its benefits, especially in the developing countries with rich natural resources. Iran is one of the countries with considerable potential for ecotourism development. However, there is no consistent plan to use the county’s potentialities in this respect. It is thus necessary to take serious measures to develop ecotourism and utilize Iran’s natural resources optimally. This study aims to propose a model of ecotourism development in Iran.
Materials and Methods
The present study relies on a mixed methods research design. Concerning the qualitative aspect, practitioners and experts were interviewed to extract the elements of the model. Then the data was analyzed through the method of thematic analysis. In the quantitative part, the dimensions and strategies were arranged into a questionnaire and were ranked by the tourism experts in Iran. Finally, the method of hesitant fuzzy sets was employed to analyze the data.
Results and Discussion
According to the results, the most important ecotourism development dimensions in Iran can be enumerated in order of importance as follows: management, infrastructure development, marketing and training, and human resource development. Moreover, the key ecotourism development strategies, in order of importance, are as follows: carrying out marketing activities to increase the market share of ecotourism, diversifying Iran’s ecotourism products, improving the access roads to tourism villages, and increasing the destination’s resilience to natural disasters.
Conclusion
Exploring the underlying conditions in Iran, this study proposed a model of ecotourism development in Iran as a potential destination for ecotourism. The findings can offer practical and scientific guidelines to managers and policymakers who seek to develop ecotourism in Iran.
Amir Mohammad Colabi
Abstract
Introduction
The tourism industry is recognized as an asset for economic growth and poverty reduction in developing countries. World Tourism Organization reports show that the tourism industry is a leader in job creation. Many natural, cultural, and historical assets in developing countries create a ...
Read More
Introduction
The tourism industry is recognized as an asset for economic growth and poverty reduction in developing countries. World Tourism Organization reports show that the tourism industry is a leader in job creation. Many natural, cultural, and historical assets in developing countries create a comparative advantage in the tourism industry, hence a potential source of income for emerging economies. Sustainable tourism development is not possible without economic or social activities. The tourism industry is considered not only as the most extensive service industry at the global level but also as an essential job-creating industry. The concept of ecosystem captures the actors that are interdependent and make up the industry. The tourism ecosystem is a powerful tool for understanding the relationship between nature, society, and business. It can create competition and economically stimulate the development of the tourism industry. The tourism ecosystem achieves sustainable development by upgrading existing markets and creating new ones. Therefore, the tourism ecosystem can help achieve the objective of fostering economic and social development of a given geographical area. Attending to the sustainable tourism ecosystem can also bring about the satisfaction of tourists and residents in tourist areas. The development of the tourism industry can lead to economic development and improvement of infrastructure. In this respect, the sustainable tourism ecosystem can play an essential role, paving the way for new opportunities in less developed areas.
Materials and Methods
As a developmental–applied, descriptive, and exploratory research, the present study used a mixed methods research design incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data. Concerning the qualitative aspect, the meta-synthesis approach was used. Then, in the quantitative stage, the Shannon entropy method was employed to determine the coefficients of the identified factors. Hypertext is a method used here to review, synthesize, and evaluate past studies. In other words, the meta-synthesis approach examines the results obtained from other studies, leading to more new results. The data of the present study included the previous researches on the factors affecting sustainable tourism ecosystems. Having applied the purposeful sampling method, the research selected 39 studies as the final set of data. Then, the seven-step method proposed by Sandelowski and Barroso was used for conducting the meta-synthesis.
Results and Discussion
All the factors extracted from the previous studies were coded. Then, the similar items were grouped around one concept. The analysis of the studies finally resulted in 3 code axes, 7 categories, and 37 concepts related to the sustainable tourism ecosystem.
Conclusion
The sustainable tourism ecosystem not only contributes to the economic growth but also strengthens the culture of communities. The tourism ecosystem ensures that future generations have sustainable access to resources and fair opportunities. This study aimed to present a model of the sustainable tourism ecosystem by relying on the meta-synthesis approach. The meta-synthesis of the previous studies resulted in 37 concepts categorized under seven categories, which were grouped into three general categories: business-related factors, external industry-related factors, and industry-related micro-factors. The identified factors, in order of importance, included human capital training, culture, personal characteristics, networking and markets, investment and financing, legislation and policies, and infrastructure. Highlighting the interaction with markets, networking was found to be an essential factor in the sustainable tourism ecosystem. It is thus necessary to pay attention to the needs of stakeholders and involve them in processes. Moreover, the transformation of the traditional economy into a sharing economy has led to value creation and networking. However, it faces wide-ranging challenges, which can be tackled through culture-building and a transparent and cohesive legal framework between relevant institutions. Investing in tourism requires the development of economic infrastructure, the appropriate social conditions, and the improvement of political relations with other countries. To eliminate the barriers necessitates appropriate strategies, such as cooperation with foreign investors and allocation of funds for tourism development. Relying on the meta-synthesis approach and the Shannon entropy method, this research provided an integrated model of the sustainable tourism ecosystem, which is particularly relevant for the subject under study and the concepts extracted.
Manijeh Haghighinasab; Azam Mir Soleimani; Payvand MirzaeianKhamseh
Abstract
Introduction
In the modern world, a brand is a robust tool for differentiation, which is an important marketing strategy (Beritelli & Laesser, 2018). Statistics show that Iran has not yet been able to acquire a fair share of national income despite having great potential. In the Development Vision ...
Read More
Introduction
In the modern world, a brand is a robust tool for differentiation, which is an important marketing strategy (Beritelli & Laesser, 2018). Statistics show that Iran has not yet been able to acquire a fair share of national income despite having great potential. In the Development Vision Document, Iran is ranked 89th in the world and 12th among the regional countries and is still far from its tourism goals (Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Reports, 2019). Thus, concerning the economic, social, and cultural conditions of Iran and its tourism potentialities, it is necessary to address the topic in order to enhance social employment, raise currency circulation, develop transportation, help with the realization of the development vision goals, and attract domestic and foreign investors. It can also pave the way for increasing international interactions and exchanges, helping Iran to become more influential in branding of other products and services—regarding the brand effect of the producer city—and to attain sustainable development. Therefore, the main question of the current research is as follows: What is the model of brand promotion for Fars Province as a tourist destination?
Materials and Methods
The methodology of the current research generally follows the onion model. The primary purpose of this study was to design and validate a model of brand promotion for Fars Province as a tourist destination. The research is characterized by the philosophical foundation of pragmatism, fundamental–applied orientation, and exploratory sequential mixed methods design. Concerning the qualitative aspect, the study used theoretical sampling, in-depth interviews, and the grounded theory approach. Concerning the quantitative aspect, the research employed the stratified random sampling method as well as the structural equations modeling using LISREL 8.8. Software. Based on the grounded theory approach, the in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 practitioners of the tourism industry. The collected data was then analyzed through the MAXQDA Software. Having identified 222 initial concepts under six main categories and 113 subcategories, the study went on to design the final paradigm model. In the quantitative phase of the study, 359 questionnaires extracted from the paradigm model were administered among the practitioners in order to validate the model. The results were tested by the structural equation modeling method using LISREL 8.8. Software.
Results and Discussion
Branding is recognized as a strategic approach to using tourism potentialities and promoting a tourist destination so that it can bring about the advantage of sustainable development. Using a mixed methods approach, this article intended to design and validate a brand promotion model for Fars Province as a tourist destination. Having confirmed the first hypothesis, the results showed the brand promotion for Fars Province is influenced by the causal factors, including the tourism potentialities in the province, the need for creating a sustainable competitive advantage for the province, and efforts made for enhancing the economic growth. The second hypothesis confirmed that the contextual factors (i.e., the available resources and facilities, social and cultural conditions, institutional and administrative security, and structures) have an impact on the formulation of an inclusive strategic tourism plan by the tourism practitioners. To explain the third hypothesis and draw conclusions, the study revealed that the brand promotion for Fars province, including awareness of the tourist destination brand and brand equity of Fars Province, significantly affects the strategy adopted by the tourism practitioners in formulating an inclusive strategic tourism plan. Hence, tourism administrators should focus on macro tourism policies and the potentialities and resources of Fars Province in order to determine the relevant tourism goals and select the target tourism market at the provincial level. The confirmation of the fourth hypothesis shows that the intervening factors (regional, global, political, economic, and infrastructural conditions, as well as managerial weaknesses) positively affect the adoption of strategies which promote tourist destination brands. Finally, the fifth hypothesis illuminates that any strategy for formulating an inclusive strategic tourism plan positively affects the consequences of its application (i.e., sustainable development). Thus, in addition to policymakers, the issue requires the consideration of tourism practitioners in the private sector, such as travel agencies, hoteliers, and educational centers. The activities and steps which can be influential in applying the inclusive strategic tourism plan are the alignment of tourism practitioners’ activities in the private sector with the national inclusive and strategic plan, identification of the target market and presentation of services commensurate with this market, and active participation in the local society to motivate and empower its residents.
Fatemeh Zargaran Khouzani; Atieh Shahjafari; Mohammad Hamid Mollaei
Abstract
Introduction
Tourism and religion have always been inextricably linked, with religion as one of the most common travel motives. One of the oldest forms of travel in the world, the religiously motivated travel is currently considered an emerging part of the tourism industry. Although tourism has become ...
Read More
Introduction
Tourism and religion have always been inextricably linked, with religion as one of the most common travel motives. One of the oldest forms of travel in the world, the religiously motivated travel is currently considered an emerging part of the tourism industry. Although tourism has become popular in religious places around the world, there are few studies on the mental patterns of the tourists experiencing the religious travel. Given the fact that tourists usually tend to interpret what they experience at the destination and pass it on to others, it is important to devote serious attention to the tourist experiences.
Materials and Methods
As an applied and descriptive research, this study was conducted to identify the mental patterns of the tourists visiting the religious tourism destinations in Mashhad. Q-methodology was used to identify the mental patterns in the statistical population of the tourists who had the experience of traveling to the holy city of Mashhad at least once. Relying on the purposeful sampling method, the study selected 25 participants for data collection. The data was analyzed by Q factor analysis with SPSS 22.0 Software.
Results and Discussion
The analysis resulted in a typology which consists of seven mental patterns concerning the meaning of religious tourism. They are: 1) spiritualists, 2) pacifists, 3) affiliationists, 4) liberationists, 5) seekers, 6) subjectivists, and 7) empiricists. For spiritualists, getting closer to God and realizing spirituality were found to be the most important motivations to travel to religious destinations. Seeking to get rid of daily life’s grind and pressures, pacifists hope that religious trips will help them attain the peace that does not exist in the normal life. The priority given to the religious tourism by pacifists is understood given the fact relaxation is an important dimension of religious tourism. Affiliationists, or those who seek a sense of belonging, were found to be interested in communicating everywhere, often traveling with friends and family—and religious tourism is no exception. These tourists do not get upset by the crowds or the long queues to see and receive something. However, the overcrowding is desirable as long as it does not distract them from the main issue of pilgrimage or tourism in religious areas. Liberationists are similar to pacifists, except that they prefer to avoid stress by engaging in things other than religious pursuits. Therefore, liberationists certainly have no religious motive. Motivated by their religious journey, seekers search for real knowledge and information about topics and things they already know. Subjectivists look for everything, be it peace, get-togethers, or communication. Therefore, they will probably need more time to achieve all their goals in the tourist destination. Finally, empiricists were found to be looking for new tourist experiences, or anything that brings them an enjoyable experience.
Conclusion
The study went on to interpret the identified mental patterns. Spiritualists searching for closeness to God and pacifists in search of avoiding the stress of daily life were the most frequent mental patterns observed among the tourists with the experience of religious tourism. Moreover, it was found that the number of empiricists, who are looking for engaging experiences in tourist destinations, is also growing. The innovation of this research lies in its attempt at the classification of tourists and the religious tourism market based on mental patterns, which can be used to develop tourism programs. The mental patterns identified in this study can be used as the basis for the development of religious tourism and the formulation of strategies for marketing religious tourism. Concerning the needs of religious tourism places, advertising is of utmost importance as it plays an essential role in getting tourists to choose religious tourism. The analysis and findings of the research are limited to the mental patterns of the participants and the creation of the Q category. It is suggested that future research use in-depth interviews to achieve a more accurate understanding of the topic. The descriptive and survey research design can also be fruitful to investigate the identified patterns. Another direction for future research is to use Q-methodology for other types of religious tourism.
Mohamadreza rabiee mandejin; Ali Gholami; Mohammad Alizadeh; Fatemeh Mohammadzadeh Larijani
Abstract
Introduction:
The growing attention to entrepreneurship in tourism research indicates the critical role of entrepreneurship and new businesses in innovation and value creation in tourism activities. The role of small and medium-sized businesses in tourism activities and their relationship with social ...
Read More
Introduction:
The growing attention to entrepreneurship in tourism research indicates the critical role of entrepreneurship and new businesses in innovation and value creation in tourism activities. The role of small and medium-sized businesses in tourism activities and their relationship with social and economic development in rural areas highlight the development of entrepreneurial opportunities as a dynamic factor in the development of local communities. Therefore, the increasing focus on small businesses in tourism has directed the expert attention to the importance of entrepreneurship in such businesses.
Given its many tourist attractions, Khalkhal city has attracted the attention of local and non-local entrepreneurs in recent years. After 2011, Khalkhal faced an influx of tourists due to the geographical situation of the region. Located near the north of the country, the city is a tourist crossing point from the north of the country to Ardabil Province and vice versa. Therefore, many tourism entrepreneurs are now engaged in different activities in the city, which makes it necessary to pay serious attention to the approach of the tourism ecosystem. This requires planning and taking actions within the paradigm of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The entrepreneurial ecosystem helps find out about opportunities and threats by identifying relevant indicators and elements, thus providing a growth model for entrepreneurs. Therefore, supporting and strengthening the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem is one of the essential measures in identifying and developing desirable strategies to meet economic changes and social needs in rural areas.
Materials and Methods
As an applied study based on a mixed methods research design, the present article intended to identify and design a model of tourism entrepreneurship ecosystem in Khalkhal city. The statistical population of the study consisted of 15 local experts active in the fields of entrepreneurship and tourism. The Delphi method was used to collect the data. Having aligned the data with the theoretical foundations, the research identified and classified the elements of ecosystem by using the opinions of five academic experts and entrepreneurs.
Results and Discussion
According to the results obtained from the direct influence and impact situation, governance/leadership (a score of 1639) and networks/social capital (a score of 1475) were found to be the most influential factors impacting other elements. In the interviews, the entrepreneurs referred to the complex administrative bureaucracy as a significant obstacle to the development of tourism in the city. In fact, issuing a license in the tourism sector requires numerous inquiries from various departments, to which the delays of inefficient administration must be added.
According to the results, the first floor of the influence matrix housed the two elements of governance/leadership and physical infrastructure/attractions, which significantly impact other elements. However, the elements of community culture, networks and social capital, education and transmission, and business support services were located on the second floor, which indicates their high impact on the ecosystem. Moreover, the elements of human resources, financial infrastructure, and the life quality were in the second class, which indicates their high impact on the elements of the previous two classes. The first category also includes the element of contextual and general factors that act autonomously and have little impact on other elements.
Conclusion
Nowadays, the emerging hybrid and systematic view of issues, especially in the field of humanities, makes it even more necessary to pay attention to the study of the entrepreneurial ecosystem as the dominant paradigm in entrepreneurship studies. In this respect, the present article tried to study the rural entrepreneurship in Khalkhal city with an eye to the ecosystem approach. According to the results obtained from local experts in two complementary steps, it was found that the element of governance and leadership is the most fundamental element of the rural tourism entrepreneurship ecosystem in Khalkhal city. This finding is justified in light of the broad dimensions of the government in Iran, which play the same role in both designed models. In fact, the initiative of tourism entrepreneurship in the region is controlled by the government. Therefore, the reform of the legal structure, especially the laws supported and encouraged by the government, is the first step to the success of the tourism entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Somayeh Esmaeilzadeh; Narges Delafrooz; Ali Gholipur; Nasrolah Molaei
Abstract
Introduction
The tourism industry has significantly improved local economies in the last two decades. Considering the importance of tourism and its competitive market in the world, tourist destinations compete head-to-head in order to attract tourists and increase their share of the industry’s ...
Read More
Introduction
The tourism industry has significantly improved local economies in the last two decades. Considering the importance of tourism and its competitive market in the world, tourist destinations compete head-to-head in order to attract tourists and increase their share of the industry’s income. However, some recent malpractices, such as unfair or fraudulent behavior and failure to provide services as promised, have exacerbated the crisis of trust in tourism as an important issue worthy of further attention. Trust is a prerequisite for improving many marketing variables such as loyalty, travel intent, destination attachment, and repeat visits. To date, a comprehensive scale for constructing tourist trust in a tourist destination has not been provided. Most researchers in tourism studies tend to borrow trust measurement tools from other sectors such as social sciences, branding, and e-commerce. Some prefer to develop a scale for a specific area of tourism, for example, for medical tourism and shopping. Moreover, the design of some current scales seems to be based on a qualitative approach lacking credibility. A systematic literature review also showed that there is no comprehensive scale for constructing tourist trust in a tourist destination. To fill this research gap, the present study deems it necessary to develop a more comprehensive and multidimensional scale for tourist trust that considers different stakeholders.
Materials and Methods
Based on a mixed methods design, the present research used grounded theory to analyze the data and develop a trust measurement scale. The statistical population in the qualitative section consisted of academic experts, policymakers, and planners in the field of tourism in Gilan. The purposive sampling method was used to select a sample of 12 participants. The study also relied on the criteria of validity, transferability, reliability, and verification to assess the reliability of the interview interpretation. Concerning the quantitative aspect, convenience sampling was used to select the statistical population of 389 tourists visiting different cities of Gilan Province. The research employed exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to ensure the validity of the structures and identify the main dimensions and factors shaping the tourist trust.
Results and Discussion
In the qualitative stage, six main categories were found to be constitutive of trust in the tourism industry. They included the trust in tourist destination management, travel agencies, tourism service providers, tourist destination residents, other tourists, and digital content. Concerning the quantitative aspect, 389 incoming tourists to Gilan Province were analyzed. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis showed that the six research structures are adequately accurate in measuring the relevant structures.
Conclusion
Considering the findings of previous studies, the present research proves to be innovative. The proposed scale for measuring tourist trust is relatively comprehensive, covering the different perspectives of destination stakeholders (management, travel agencies, service providers, residents, other tourists, and digital content) at both institutional and interpersonal levels. The scale is valuable given the fact that tourism research on trust solely focuses on a single or several groups of organizational stakeholders (e.g., the government) which are studied by tourism institutions or travel agencies among tourists, residents, and travel guides. The proposed measurement indices for each dimension also cover more components compared to similar research attempts. In addition, the proposed scale is presented with an overview, and unlike previous studies, it is not restricted to a specific type of tourism, such as e-tourism, medical tourism, or shopping tourism. It is thus a more reliable scale for measuring various dimensions of trust.
