Sports Business Journal
Volume:3 Issue: 1, Winter 2023

Today, tourism has become a very profitable industry with explosive growth and can solve many economic problems. Iran has a high potential to exploit the tourism industry at the international level. Therefore, the research aimed to identify and categorize the types of tourist attractions in Iran and formulate marketing objectives for developing the tourism industry in Iran using active sports tourism leverage.

The research methodology was grounded in theory with Strass & Corbin approach. The sampling method was theoretical sampling. After conducting 31 interviews with tourism industry experts and using literature, theoretical saturation was achieved.

The findings showed that there are 16 tourist attractions in Iran: religious, historical, natural, health, entertainment, heritage, sports, desert, mountainous, wildlife, islands, villages, towns, urban, sociocultural, and shopping attractions. Finally, eight marketing objectives were formulated to increase international tourists in Iran using active sports tourism leverage and earn more from this industry. They include introducing and advertising Iran's active sports attractions among religious tourists, focusing on Russian and Chinese tourists by offering desert attractions; marketing Iran’s adventure attractions; offering different interests of Iran in one product package among international tourists; marketing Iranian products and handicrafts among international tourists; ecotourism marketing for Iran's tourism-target villages and towns; marketing for Iranian islands and their water-based sports attractions among wealthy international tourists; and Marketing for Iran’s health-attractions.

Originality:

In this article, the authors identified and categorized the types of tourist attractions in Iran and analyzed the marketing objectives necessary for developing the tourism industry in Iran using active sports tourism leverage.

The present study aims to provide a model to explain the role of sport in Iran's sustainable development. The research method was grounded in pluralism theory in data.

According to the research, initially using library studies, the elements of participation were identified. After in-depth interviews with 17 professionals and scientific experts, the theme analysis method was used to extra and group the elements. The output of this step was to identify 92 indicators in the form of 5 main dimensions and 12 sub-dimensions. Convergent and divergent validity was used to determine the validity (0.85), and all results were satisfactory.

The results showed that preparation and formulation of a strategic plan for public and championship sports, officials' attention to the capacity of the private sector in sports activities, expansion of sports venues in an urban and balanced distribution of facilities, and Recreational and sports equipment is essential for all citizens. But to solve the problems, pay attention to organizational strategies, including the development of a strategic plan for public participation in the sports organization and the use of control and evaluation tools to ensure the effectiveness of teamwork and involvement in sports along with creating a work environment with trust and honesty among participants. It can provide a platform for sustainability to improve personal and interpersonal communication among participants.

Originality:

The implementation of research in the field of sports tourism with a sustainable development approach based on a hybrid model has not been done before, it is obvious that any research that is done for the first time helps to expand the boundaries of knowledge and can be the basis for future researches and for this reason It is considered authentic.

Consumer attitude towards advertising is one of the effective indicators of advertising effectiveness; the consumer's cognitive ability towards advertising appears in their thoughts and feelings and consequently will affect their acceptance of advertising. The present study investigated the impact of Instagram advertising on the advertisement's acceptance in the Covid-19 pandemic course in sports clubs’ customers.

The research method is descriptive correlation and survey in data collection. A total of 273 customers of sports clubs completed the following questionnaires: a combination of questionnaires for Instagram advertising, Taylor & Todd's Attitude to advertising questionnaire (2002), and the Merisavo advertisements acceptance questionnaire (2007). Structural equation modeling based on the partial least squares was used to analyze the data.

The results showed that the modified model had a good fit (GOF=0.717). We indicated that Instagram advertising and its components (Entertainment, Interaction, new and Up-to-date, and Usefulness) positively and significantly affect customers' attitudes and acceptance of advertisement. Also, the attitude towards advertising as a mediating variable significantly affects advertisement acceptance (P=0.001).

Originality:

In this article, we examine the modeling of Instagram advertising in the sports industry using structural equation modeling (SEM).

Information systems play a significant role in efficiency management. An information system is a set of components that interact to produce knowledge, which includes hardware, software, data, procedures, and people. So, the great attractiveness of this area makes sports organizations act more carefully and even promote themselves to the world level; Therefore, this research aimed to identify and explain the critical indicators of the success in sports organizations’ information systems. This comparison was made in the world-class category with a future studies approach.

This study is mixed research with an exploratory approach. In the qualitative section, by using the mix method, the selection of original articles with appropriate quality (29 items) and containing the success factors of world-class information systems have been made, and they were analyzed using the content analysis method. In the quantitative section, the researchers reached a consensus on the critical factors by using snowball sampling and selecting the eight members of Experts using the Delphi method in three rounds.

The findings showed that factors such as data security, access levels, integrated communication between internal systems, network, and internet security are among the success factors of world-class organizations, and it was also determined in the Delphi round that the mentioned factors are among the critical factors in sports organizations. Results showed that, concerning the broadness of communication in sports organizations, there are solutions that can improve them at the local to international level in terms of success.

Originality:

We tried to present the critical success indicators of world-class information systems in sports organizations in an original study with a forward-looking approach.

One of the necessities of every sports committee in carrying out tasks, implementing programs, and achieving goals is the existence of appropriate financial resources.  The study aimed to identify and prioritize factors affecting the development of the Khorasan Razavi province volleyball team brand.

The current study used Q methodology by the quantitative-qualitative mixed method. The 23 participants included athletes, coaches, referees, volleyball club managers, and brand experts.

The results showed that six mental patterns had affected the brand, including professionalism, media, power, education, events, and nationalism. Leading sport organizations must learn and train this science in their members and include branding training in their training programs. Furthermore, they hold annual junior and regular competitions, invite elites, hold scientific circles, and help develop the infrastructure. Although, it is necessary to develop the city and province sports brands.

Originality:

 We presented the solutions to develop the brand of the province's volleyball team.

Sustainable development, according to sports tourism, is a necessary condition for ensuring a secure and sustainable life that strives to minimize resource waste, environmental degradation, and social instability.  

The research method is descriptive-analytical. The statistical population includes 30 senior managers, the general department of sports and youth, and the cultural heritage and tourism organization. The Delphi technique was used to prepare the questionnaire, and descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used to analyze the statistical information.

Based on the list of strategies, a social approach with six strategies, an executive approach with five strategies, a political approach with five strategies, an ecological approach with three strategies, and finally, the geographical & value approach with four strategies.

Originality:

According to the adoption of the mentioned strategies, managers can target the significant goals of sports tourism and provide the conditions for realizing the intended vision. The formulation of perspectives and objectives offers an excellent opportunity to implement strategies. The obtained strategic plan also creates a clear picture for managers through long-term goals and cause-and-effect relationships. Based on this, preparing the goals and strategic sports tourism plan as a national document is recommended.