Investigation of The Sustainable Development of Sport Tourism in Guilan Province Using Prescott-Allen Method

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Sport Management, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

2 M.A. in Leisure Time and Recreational Sport Management, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

Abstract

This study was conducted with the aim at investigating the sustainability of sport tourism in Guilan province from the perspective of sport tourists and the host community. The statistical population was all local residents and sport tourists who had traveled to Guilan province (cities of Fooman, Shaft, Lahijan, Talesh). 400 questionnaires were distributed and finally 392 questionnaires were completed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data and radar models (AMOEBA) and Prescott-Allen barometer of sustainability were used to measure sustainability. The results showed that the level of sustainability of sport tourism in Guilan province in general in terms of the host community and sport tourists in all three components of sustainable development including economic (0.512), social, cultural (0.448) and environmental (0.449), is in the mode of "moderate sustainability" and is far from reaching the state of "sustainability". From the point of view of the host community, the economic dimension (0.493), the socio-cultural dimension (0.434) have moderate sustainability and the environmental dimension (0.386) is unsustainable. In terms of sport tourists, the economic dimension (0.532), socio-cultural dimension (0.463) and environmental dimension (0.513) have moderate sustainability. It is suggested that the officials have practical plans in order for the host community to enjoy the benefits of sport tourism, as well as to protect the natural environment.

Keywords


  • Adabi J,  Nedaee T, Alimohamady  H, Fattah zadeh fashkhami, M. (2020).  Prioritization and comparison of sustainable sport tourism factors in Guilan province between sport tourists and the host community. Journal of Tourism Planning and Development, 9(34),227-244. (Persian).
  • Akbarian Ronizi S, Pourchaberi M. (2012). Environmental Impacts of Second Homes Tourism in Rural Areas with Emphasis on the Host Society of Mountain Villages in Alborz Province, The 2nd  Conference on Environmental Planning and Management, Tehran.(Persian).
  • Aligholizadeh Firoozjaee N, Badri S, Faraji Sabokbar H. (2018). Attitudes of Iranian Host Communities towards the Economic and Environmental Impacts of Tourism in Rural Areas: A Case Study of the Central Part of Noushahr County. Village and Development, 10(1), 1-22. (Persian)
  • Almodaresi S.A, Alaei M. Leveling the tourism resources of Mehriz city with a sustainable development approach. (2014). The 1th National Conference on Geography, tourism, natural resources and sustainable development. Iran Tourism Association. Tehran. ( Persian).
  • Ameni A samera, Bakhti S, Babajamali F. (2015). Evaluating the attitude of the host community to the development of tourism in rural areas. Tourism management studies, 10 (30), 77 -106. (Persian).
  • Anderson E, Bakir A, Wickens E. (2015). Rural tourism development in Connemara, Ireland. Tourism planning & Development, 12(1),73-86.
  • Azmi A, Imani B, Khani F. Effects of tourism activities on the environment (Case study: Bile Daragh village). (2011). New Attitudes in Human Geography (Human Geography), 3 (3), 13-25. (Persian).
  • Bedrich M, Suzanne B. (1997). Sustainability Indicators: Report of the Project on Indicators of Sustainable Development. John Wiley and Sons Ltd.
  • Belali M, Moinfard M, Hamediniya M, Amirahmadi A. (2012). The Viewpoints of Managers and Experts on the Development of Sport Tourism Industry in Khorasan Razavi. Journal of Sport Mnagement, 4(13),185-202. (Persian).
  • Carneiroa M.J, Bredaa Z, Cordeiroa C. (2016). Sports tourism development and destination sustainability: the case of the coastal area of the Aveiro region, Portugal. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 20(3-4),305-334.
  • Dadvar- khani, F., Mohammadzadeh Larijani, F. (2013). Assessment of Economic and Social Effects of Second Home Tourism of Rural Areas in Babol Township. Human Geography Research, 45(4), 75-102. (Persian).
  • Fattahzadeh Fashkhami M. (2018). Prioritization and comparison of components of sustainable sports tourism in Guilan province between sports tourists and the host community (based on Hall model), (Unpublished master's thesis), University of Qom. Qom. ( Persian).
  • Fattahzadeh Y, Salehi E, Khastou M. (2021). Explain progressive scenarios for the future development of sustainable tourism in Gilan province. Journal of Tourism and Development, 9(4), 111-124. (Persian).
  • Gibson H.J. (1998). Sport tourism: A critical analysis of research. Sport Management Review, 45-76.
  • Hall C.M. (1995). Introduction to Tourism in Australia: Impacts, Planning and Development (2nd edn). South Melbourne: Addison Wesley Longman Australia.
  • Halpenny E.A, Kulczycki C, Moghimehfar F. (2016). Factors effecting destination and event loyalty: Examining the sustainability of a recurrent small-scale running event at Banff National Park. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 20(3-4),233-262.
  • Hinch T. D, Higham J. E, Moyle B.D. (2016). Sport tourism and sustainable destinations: foundations and pathways. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 20(3-4),163-173.
  • Hudson S. (2012). Sport and adventure tourism. Routledge.
  • Prescott-Allen, R. (1997). Barometer of Sustainability- Measuring and communicating wellbeing and sustainable development. IUCN.
  • Javid M, Naghipoor B, Almasi H. (2015). Sport Tourism and the Economic Impacts on Host Communities. Sport Management Studies, 7(32),13-32. (Persian).
  • Karbasi, M. (2012). Assessing the situation of sports tourism in Shemiranat region and its relationship with economic and cultural development. (Unpublished master's thesis) Semnan University. Semnan. (Persian).
  • Liu J, An K, Jang S.S. (2020). A model of tourists’ civilized behaviors: Toward sustainable coastal tourism in China. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 16: 100437.
  • Mirabadi M, Golzadeh M, Karimi A. (2019). Assessment of the role and performance of the media in the development of sport tourism (Case study: East Azarbaijan Province). Regional Planning, 9(34), 66-80. (Persian).
  • Moinfard M. (2008).The situation of sports tourism industry in Iran and presenting its development model. (Unpublished PhD dissertation in Sports Management). Kharazmi University of Tehran. Tehran. (Persian).
  • Nesticò A, Maselli G. (2020). Sustainability indicators for the economic evaluation of tourism investments on islands. Journal of Cleaner Production, 248: 119217.
  • Preuss H, Arne Solberg H. (2006). Attracting major sporting events: The role of local residents. European sport management quarterly, 6(4), 391-411.
  • Rezvani M.R. (2008). Rural Tourism Development with Sustainable Tourism Approach. Tehran: University of Tehran Press. (Persian).
  • Salehi S, Pazoukinejad Z. (2014). A Sociological Analysis of Sustainable Mobility in Tourism Industry. Journal of Tourism Planning and Development, 3(10), 162-181. (Persian).
  • Salehifard M. (2011). Rural Tourism (Fundamentals of Planning and Structural Plans), Mashhad: Marandiz Publishing, 1st Edition. (Persian).
  • Sgroi F. (2020). Forest resources and sustainable tourism, a combination for the resilience of the landscape and development of mountain areas. Science of the Total Environment, 2020: 139539.
  • Shojaei M, Noureddin N. (2007). Review of government policies in the tourism industry and provide a model for sustainable development of the country's tourism industry. Journal of Management knowledge, 20(78), 63-90. (Persian).
  • Tabrizi N, Naghavi M. (2015). Comparative comparison of the provinces of the northern region of Iran with emphasis on structural features and facilities necessary for sustainable tourism development, Geographical Journal of Tourism Space, 4(14), 49-69. (Persian).
  • Tiago F, Gil A, Stemberger S, Borges-Tiago T. (2021). Digital sustainability communication in tourism. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 6(1), 27-34.
  • Vosughi L, dadvar khani F, Motiee langerudi S, Rahnamai M. (2011). Winter tourism and examining important factors in tourist satisfaction Case study: Shemshak and Darbandsar resorts as two winter destinations. Tourism Management Studies, 6(15), 1-28. (Persian).
  • Yarihesar A, Bakhtar S. (2016). Application of Alen Prescott stability Measurement model in analysis rural sustainable tourism Case study: Nir county-Ardabil province. Regional Planning, 6(22), 121-134. (Persian).