Investigating the Effect of Cultural Events and Mental Conflict on the Image and Intention to Visit the Destination among Tourists in Sarab Meime District of Ilam Province

Due to the important role of tourism in the development process of the country, managers of the tourism industry are always facing the challenge of attracting tourists and gaining satisfaction. The purpose of the research was to investigate the effect of cultural events and mental conflict on the image and intention to visit the destination among tourists in Sarab Meime. The statistical population of this research includes the tourists of Sarab Meime district of Ilam province in the spring of 1400. Due to the uncertainty of the number of tourists in the aforementioned area, the sample size was 385 people, which is the highest sample size. In terms of purpose, the current research is applied and has a survey nature of correlation type based on structural equations. The required data has been collected with a questionnaire tool which has acceptable validity and reliability. The results of data analysis using the method of structural equations with Smart Pls software showed that cultural events and mental conflict have a positive and significant effect on the image and intention to visit the destination among the tourists of Sarab Meime. In fact, the overall appropriate image and intention to revisit the Sarab Meime district requires attention to the event brand, structural components, cultural events, place brand, tourist's mental involvement, overall image, cognitive image and emotional image of the destination. Tourism managers and marketers should pay special attention to these basic and important factors.