Analysis of Tourist Cluster in Mazandaran Using SWOT Approach

Clusters are geographically close groups of related companies or institutions related to a certain area which are inherently more efficient than the other companies due to advantages such as being located in one place, networks, external knowledge, variability of human capital, etc. Today, development through clusters plays a pivotal role in the economic and industrial policies of developed countries. Geographic concentration can potentially help small companies overcome limitations related to the size and improve technology development and abilities to compete in local and global markets. Therefore, the present study analyzes the tourism cluster in Mazandaran identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Then, after mapping Pareto diagrams for each of the examined fields, the most important factors affecting the clusters have been identified and presented in the SWOT matrix. Finally, based on the findings appropriate strategies have been suggested for the development of tourist industry in Mazandaran.