Muṭāli̒āt-i Mudīriyyat-i Gardishgarī (Mar 2022)
Presenting a Model of Sustainable Tourism Ecosystem: A Meta-Synthesis Approach
Abstract
Introduction The tourism industry is recognized as an asset for economic growth and poverty reduction in developing countries. World Tourism Organization reports show that the tourism industry is a leader in job creation. Many natural, cultural, and historical assets in developing countries create a comparative advantage in the tourism industry, hence a potential source of income for emerging economies. Sustainable tourism development is not possible without economic or social activities. The tourism industry is considered not only as the most extensive service industry at the global level but also as an essential job-creating industry. The concept of ecosystem captures the actors that are interdependent and make up the industry. The tourism ecosystem is a powerful tool for understanding the relationship between nature, society, and business. It can create competition and economically stimulate the development of the tourism industry. The tourism ecosystem achieves sustainable development by upgrading existing markets and creating new ones. Therefore, the tourism ecosystem can help achieve the objective of fostering economic and social development of a given geographical area. Attending to the sustainable tourism ecosystem can also bring about the satisfaction of tourists and residents in tourist areas. The development of the tourism industry can lead to economic development and improvement of infrastructure. In this respect, the sustainable tourism ecosystem can play an essential role, paving the way for new opportunities in less developed areas. Materials and Methods As a developmental–applied, descriptive, and exploratory research, the present study used a mixed methods research design incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data. Concerning the qualitative aspect, the meta-synthesis approach was used. Then, in the quantitative stage, the Shannon entropy method was employed to determine the coefficients of the identified factors. Hypertext is a method used here to review, synthesize, and evaluate past studies. In other words, the meta-synthesis approach examines the results obtained from other studies, leading to more new results. The data of the present study included the previous researches on the factors affecting sustainable tourism ecosystems. Having applied the purposeful sampling method, the research selected 39 studies as the final set of data. Then, the seven-step method proposed by Sandelowski and Barroso was used for conducting the meta-synthesis. Results and Discussion All the factors extracted from the previous studies were coded. Then, the similar items were grouped around one concept. The analysis of the studies finally resulted in 3 code axes, 7 categories, and 37 concepts related to the sustainable tourism ecosystem. Conclusion The sustainable tourism ecosystem not only contributes to the economic growth but also strengthens the culture of communities. The tourism ecosystem ensures that future generations have sustainable access to resources and fair opportunities. This study aimed to present a model of the sustainable tourism ecosystem by relying on the meta-synthesis approach. The meta-synthesis of the previous studies resulted in 37 concepts categorized under seven categories, which were grouped into three general categories: business-related factors, external industry-related factors, and industry-related micro-factors. The identified factors, in order of importance, included human capital training, culture, personal characteristics, networking and markets, investment and financing, legislation and policies, and infrastructure. Highlighting the interaction with markets, networking was found to be an essential factor in the sustainable tourism ecosystem. It is thus necessary to pay attention to the needs of stakeholders and involve them in processes. Moreover, the transformation of the traditional economy into a sharing economy has led to value creation and networking. However, it faces wide-ranging challenges, which can be tackled through culture-building and a transparent and cohesive legal framework between relevant institutions. Investing in tourism requires the development of economic infrastructure, the appropriate social conditions, and the improvement of political relations with other countries. To eliminate the barriers necessitates appropriate strategies, such as cooperation with foreign investors and allocation of funds for tourism development. Relying on the meta-synthesis approach and the Shannon entropy method, this research provided an integrated model of the sustainable tourism ecosystem, which is particularly relevant for the subject under study and the concepts extracted.
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