Developing Strategies to Create an Adventure Tourism Hub in the Mountains of Ardabil Province Using SWOT Technique

The aim of this study was to develop strategies to create an adventure tourism hub in the mountains of Ardabil province using the SWOT technique. This study was applied in terms of objectives and descriptive in terms of data collection which was carried out with case studies and in the area of strategic studies. The statistical population consisted of high ranking experts and officials in tourism and sport management in Ardabil province (N=35). As the statistical population was limited, the census sampling method was used. 3 questionnaires including an open questionnaire, a closed questionnaire, and a prioritized closed questionnaire were used to collect data. The open questionnaire was used to collect internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats). After encoding the theories, the contents were transformed into a closed questionnaire in order to prioritize these factors. After Friedman statistical test and comparing the mean using the SPSS21 software, the researchers provided the research strategic committee with the third questionnaire (the prioritized questionnaire). The committee approved these factors; then this committee determined the importance coefficient and ranking and specified the mountain locations in the province in order to create an adventure tourism hub through verifying the vision, mission, core values and qualitative goals. Finally, 13 strategies were extracted with regard to the analysis of the strategic matrix of internal and external factors, which were turned into practical plans.