Explaining the Role of Management in the Development of Sustainable Tourism with an Emphasis on Sports Tourism, Case Study: Armand Section of Khanmirza City

Today, tourism in the world is considered as one of the most dynamic economic sectors and plays an important role in income creation and development of employment among the countries of the world. Sports tourism examines the presence and participation of athletes in sports competitions or engagement of spectators in watching sports events. Successful development in various economic activities are mainly dependent upon effective management. The purpose of this research is to investigate the functionality of management in the development of sustainable sports tourism in Armand section of Khanmirza County in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. This is an applied research using review (documentary-library) and field surveys. This study with a qualitative and exploratory research method employed thematic analysis in implementation. The statistical population are all the experts in the fields of physical education and sports management, sociology, geography and planning, and tourism, with scientific experiences in the field of sports tourism. Sampling was conducted in a purposeful way, and theoretical saturation was met by 10 interviews. The results have indicated that the application of integrated management along with the participation of local communities with environmental education and awareness can promote sustainable development of sports tourism and enhance the positive events related to sports in the study area. It was also revealed that application of efficient management methods supported by the planning and marketing of sports tourism can help this area to play a greater role in sports tourism and also increase its share and rank among other regions of the country in this type of tourism.