درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Karbala city is destination of millions of pilgrims from all over the world every year. Therefore, this research has assessed strategies for developing religious tourism in Karbala city, with an emphasis on improving the pilgrims' experience and exploiting the economic and social capacities of this city. First, indicators related to religious tourism infrastructure were identified, and then their impact on the pilgrims' experience was analyzed using statistical methods. Data collection tool is a researcher-made questionnaire, which was used to examine its validity from the specialists and experts in quantitative and relative content validity coefficient, and to examine its reliability, was used Cronbach's alpha. The statistical sample includes two groups, 19 people in the qualitative section and 550 people in the quantitative section, selected using convenience sampling. Data analysis includes initial coding, classification, extraction of indicators and variables, descriptive and inferential statistics such as one sample t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation, and linear regression. Results showed residence index with the maximum mean and minimum dispersion indicates the its importance and diversity for pilgrims. The recreational and commercial services index with the lowest mean showed less importance. Correlation results indicate a positive and significant relationship between the attraction index and other indicators at the 0.001 level, which shows that as tourist attractions are strengthened, other services and infrastructure are equally effective in improving the pilgrims' experience. Results of compare means between pilgrims and local residents showed in the catering service and residence indexes, mean of rank pilgrims (253.21 and 254.49) are higher than local residents (239.65 and 234.55) at a significance level of 0.398 and 0.215, respectively. As a result, improving tourism infrastructure, accessibility and improving the quality of recreational and medical services can lead to increased pilgrim satisfaction.

In the competitive tourism industry, augmented reality (AR) technology has emerged as a transformative tool for enhancing visitor experiences and promoting cultural identity by blending digital overlays with physical environments, yet prior research often overlooks its role in marketing cultural narratives from industry experts’ perspectives, revealing a theoretical gap in fostering emotional connections and sustainable development. This study aims to explore AR’s role in marketing the cultural identity of tourism destinations, examining how it creates competitive differentiation, strengthens tourist loyalty, and overcomes implementation challenges. Using a qualitative approach with thematic analysis, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 27 industry experts (academics, managers, and technology specialists in tourism and AR), achieving theoretical saturation after 18 interviews, with analyses grounded in frameworks such as Symbolic Interactionism, Experiential Marketing, and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Results revealed six main themes: enhancing cultural experiences (e.g., immersive 3D reconstructions), fostering emotional engagement (e.g., creating a sense of belonging), improving tourists’ understanding (e.g., enriching cultural knowledge and promoting responsible behavior), prerequisites for AR adoption (e.g., technological infrastructure and training), outcomes of AR implementation (e.g., increased trust and decision-making), and practical strategies (e.g., cost reduction via open-source platforms). AR delivers interactive, personalized experiences that bolster loyalty but faces barriers like high costs and the need for authentic content. This research fills the gap by providing a conceptual framework for AR in cultural marketing, offering practical recommendations for managers (e.g., collaborative content creation), developers (e.g., gamified apps), and policymakers (e.g., funding infrastructure), while emphasizing AR’s potential for sustainable tourism and suggesting future quantitative studies to validate these qualitative insights.

Intentionality is a form of received and perceptual awareness through which humans relate to their geographical lifeworld. This awareness is acquired both objectively and, at times, subjectively, and is shaped through various mediating factors. In the context of urban tourism, the structure of such intentionality is grounded in phenomenological and post-phenomenological approaches, emerging from the relational dynamics between humans and tourism elements. The present study aims to explore the manner and conditions of tourists' intentional perception—tourists being positioned as the observer (subject) toward tourism artifacts and sites—considered as the observed (object). The research methodology is qualitative, based on phenomenological and post-phenomenological perspectives, and employs semi-structured interviews conducted with tourists in the city of Zanjan.Data were analyzed using the grounded theory model, involving open, axial, and selective coding. The resulting categories were interpreted and classified within the contextual framework of factors, mediators, and symbols of intentionality. Findings indicate that tourists’ awareness and understanding differ between initial (prior) and subsequent (posterior) stages of intentionality and follow a developmental trajectory. Categories such as attractions, religion, handicrafts, traditional markets, contemporary history, and mummification—which characterized the initial stage—give way in the subsequent stage to religion, culture and beliefs, architecture and identity, history and civilization, diversity of heritage, and heritage preservation, reflecting a shift in the mental structure of perception. As a result, touristic intentionality is influenced by direct observation, length of stay, and various intermediating factors (such as services, support systems, interpretation, and guidance). Ultimately, it is a function of the volume and quality of information received from the objects (tourism elements) through the mediating role of the subjects (tourists).

The Khasia communities living in the Moulvibazar district, which have a matriarchal family structure, famous for betel leaf farming and unique cultural heritage, has been impacted by tourism. This study explores the impacts of tourism on their cultural practices, economic conditions, and social dynamics from different aspects and identifies long-term strategies for cultural preservation. Fieldwork was conducted in four Khasia villages in Moulvibazar to collect essential data and observe the participants’ reactions. Data collection included semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and Focus group discussions with thematic analysis using Quirkos software. Expert secondary data were used to back up the conclusions. Tourism has provided several economic opportunities like improved infrastructure and new sources of revenue; some villages are planning to use tourism to show and promote their true cultural heritage via eco-tourism and social media platforms. However, there are several challenges, and cultural commodification, environmental pollution, and social conflicts are the main concerns. Deforestation is creating a disturbance in their livelihood as they are highly dependent on nature. Some tourists also demand commercialization which is harming their cultural authenticity. Tourism presents both benefits and threats for the Khasia community. Sustainable tourism practices and community-led policies are important to strike a balance between economic benefits and cultural preservation. Long-term development can be ensured while safeguarding heritage and the environment if the Khasia people are given the power to manage their cultural representation.

Accessible tourism is a type of tourism that includes the process of cooperation between stakeholders that enables people to function independently with justice and dignity through the fulfillment of accessibility needs (motor, visual, auditory, and cognitive), through the provision of universal services and products and empowers tourism environments. This study investigated the standards required by wheelchair users at the Natural History and Technology Museum in Shiraz City. Data were collected using the observation method based on a checklist. The results showed that the crossing routes, ramps, and slopes suit wheelchair users. Still, there is no place for wheelchair users in the conference hall, no elevator is installed to access the second floor, and toilets and parking are not designed for wheelchair users. Furthermore, because most of the items displayed in the museum are not at a suitable height, sensory access is not possible for wheelchair users. Based on the museum director's welcome and the suggestions provided, the museum can create a more suitable environment for accessible tourism.

The transmission of cultural knowledge plays a pivotal role in preserving cultural identity and promoting the sustainable development of heritage tourism. However, this form of knowledge is primarily tacit and transferred informally across generations, which makes its preservation increasingly challenging, particularly in light of the sudden retirement of experienced experts and the consequent loss of invaluable expertise. This study examines phased retirement as an innovative managerial strategy to facilitate cultural knowledge transfer. Grounded in Nonaka and Takeuchi’s SECI model, which conceptualises knowledge transfer through the stages of socialisation, externalisation, combination, and internalisation, the research employed a descriptive-analytical design using document analysis, field investigations, and a researcher-designed questionnaire. A total of 220 tourism industry professionals participated, and data were analysed with SPSS and Smart PLS, employing AVE, Fornell-Larcker, factor loadings, Cronbach’s alpha, and structural equation modelling. The findings reveal that phased retirement enhances cultural knowledge transfer by fostering intergenerational interaction, facilitating documentation, and strengthening the competencies of younger employees. The study recommends that tourism managers and policymakers adopt phased retirement strategies to improve cultural sustainability and enhance the quality of heritage tourism services.

Historic houses are among the key tourist attractions in arid regions. Kashan, a city located in the arid zones of Iran, is home to numerous historic houses. This study aims to assess the potential of Kashan’s historic houses to attract tourists using the Pralong model. The tourism grade for each house was determined based on several indicators, including physical beauty, scientific value, historical-cultural significance, and socio-economic impact. Data collection involved library research, documentary analysis, and surveys. The results indicate that, in terms of tourism standards, Borujerdi House ranks first. According to statistics from the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism, as well as the Pralong model, Borujerdi House holds the top position in attracting tourists, followed by Sharifian House, Ameri House, Tabatabaei House, and Abbasian House. Borujerdi House received the highest score in aesthetic value, while Ameri House ranked first in scientific value.

this study seeks to propose a cultural marketing model based on the cultural characteristics of the tourism destination of Shiraz. The research was conducted using a qualitative research method as well as semi-structured interviews with tourism and marketing specialists. Based on the rational approach of theoretical and judgmental sampling, 16 participants were sampled until theoretical saturation was reached. Based on the findings, the cultural marketing model was divided into 20 sub-themes, such as; valuing the cultural experience, engaging the local community with conservation, the government's role, friendly communication between host and guest, transforming the tourism approach, revitalizing culture, national pitifulness, media, technology, supplying infrastructure and cultural background, destination features, residents and destination management, the destination community's awareness and education, cultural identity, the tourist's influence on the host, the tourist's behavior in the destination, the foreign tourist's influence, the human role, friendly interactions between guests and hosts, cultural products of tourism, the production and representation of cultural products and 4 primary classifications such as; product, destination, communication, along with procedures. There are many effects and consequences associated with tourism development. Tourism development and the management of its diverse cultural impacts and consequences can be enhanced with the use of cultural marketing, taking into consideration the destinations' cultural capacities. The pursuit of cultural marketing with the aim of creating jobs and income for the residents of the destination can contribute to the re-establishment of national and cultural identity, the conservation of cultural heritage, and the protection of its authenticity