The Future Study of Sports Tourism in Iran: Using Scenario Wizard and COPRAS

The present study was conducted to do futuristic research on sports tourism in Iran using Scenario Wizard and COPRAS.

After examining the topic and reviewing the research literature, interviews were done with twelve sports professors and sports tourism experts. Finally, the saturation views method was used as a criterion for finalizing the sampling process. Among the findings, 15 critical factors were identified as the most important ones affecting sports tourism in Iran. Using MICMAC software, the identified factors were structurally analyzed. The factors found to be more influential were sorted out and ranked directly and indirectly.

The research findings showed that according to the country's sports experts, the most critical factors affecting the development of Iran's tourism are as follows. Natural factors and characteristics of the destination, planning, and formulation of strategy, infrastructural factors, advertising and information, welfare services, marketing, transportation, the level of people's participation, technology and advanced knowledge, security and trust, international relations, budget, factors Social, economic factors, local issues. Then, the most important among them was presented as the main drivers of sports tourism. Based on the results, the two factors of local issues and international relations were found to have the most significant impact on sports tourism in Iran. Concerning these two key factors, four scenarios of resilient development, the darkness of sports tourism, fragile development, and ideal development were proposed for the future of sports tourism in Iran. Finally, by performing the COPRAS technique, the delicate development scenario was selected as the most likely scenario for sports tourism in Iran.

Originality:

 Since there is no sufficient future study of sports tourism in Iran, this article tries to develop the various aspects of sports tourism in this country.