Feasibility Model for Implementing a Sport Tourism Destination Management System Based on Strategic Foresight in Northwestern Iran
Keywords:
sport tourism; destination management system; strategic foresight; feasibility study; SmartPLS; Northwestern IranAbstract
Sport tourism has become a strategically important field for regional development, particularly in destinations that combine natural assets, sport facilities, cultural attractions, and cross-border market potential. However, sport tourism destinations often remain fragmented when public agencies, tourism businesses, sport organizations, and technology providers operate without an integrated destination management system. Objective: This study aimed to develop and test a feasibility model for implementing a sport tourism destination management system in Northwestern Iran using a strategic foresight perspective. The study used an applied descriptive-correlational field design. The statistical population consisted of managers and experts from sport and youth departments, cultural heritage and tourism organizations, active travel-service offices, and university faculty members in sport management across Northwestern Iran. A Delphi procedure was used to refine indicators, and 153 completed questionnaires were analyzed. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS and SmartPLS with partial least squares structural equation modeling. The Delphi procedure produced consensus after two rounds. In the structural model, all four feasibility dimensions had positive and significant effects on the implementation of the sport tourism destination management system: managerial factors (β = 0.84, t = 33.58, p < 0.001), economic factors (β = 0.83, t = 29.17, p < 0.001), technological factors (β = 0.83, t = 27.26, p < 0.001), and environmental factors (β = 0.72, t = 10.11, p < 0.001). The results indicate that managerial coordination is the primary driver of implementation, followed closely by economic and technological readiness. Successful implementation requires integrated governance, investment planning, digital infrastructure, environmental and stakeholder coordination, legal support, human-resource development, and public-private cooperation. The proposed model offers a practical framework for improving sport tourism competitiveness and sustainable destination development in Northwestern Iran.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Lida Farzollahzadeh (Author); Mehrdad Moharramzadeh; Masoud Imanzadeh, Azizian Kohan (Author)
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