Exploring the Barriers to Recreational-Sports Tourism Quality Based on Fishbone Diagram in Gilan Province

Abstract

Recreational-sports tourism as a branch of tourism can stimulate sustainable economic, social, and cultural development in the region. Gilan Province has an excellent potential to attract tourists with many tourist attractions and suitable weather conditions. Therefore, based on the fishbone diagram, this research investigated the quality barriers of leisure-sports tourism in Gilan Province. The research employed a descriptive-survey and practical approach conducted through field methods. The statistical population comprised recreational and sports tourists in Gilan Province, with a sample of 223 individuals selected through convenient sampling. The research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire utilizing a 5-point Likert scale. Ten physical education professors and experts confirmed face and content validity. The tool's reliability was established through Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α=0.93) and construct validity (exploratory and confirmatory). Data modeling and analysis were conducted using (PLS4) and (SPSS22) software. The findings revealed that, from the perspective of recreational and sports tourists in Gilan Province, the most significant obstacles among the seven dimensions (transportation and route, accommodation, return home, qualification and license, destination, activities, and reception and information) were identified as return home (5.50), destination (4.92), and residence (4.26). On the other hand, reception and information (2.86), qualification and licenses (3.25), and activities (3.54) were perceived as the least significant obstacles. Consequently, organizers and officials of recreational and sports tourism tours in Gilan Province should prioritize addressing these obstacles in each sector to enhance the overall quality of tourism experiences.IntroductionIn the contemporary era, tourism is pivotal in capturing widespread societal attention and representing a cornerstone of any country's economy. The tourism industry encompasses diverse dimensions, including recreational, medical, cultural, social, sports, religious, commercial, and political tourism, progressing rapidly. Sports tourism, formed by the integration of 'sports' and 'tourism,' is a particularly noteworthy type. In essence, sports become a crucial and almost constant activity for travelers, woven into the fabric of tourism experiences. Sports tourism entails journeys undertaken for non-commercial reasons, officially or unofficially, focusing on recreation or sports spectatorship. It encourages athlete participation, involves sporting or recreational events, occurs in the short term, and may unfold within or outside the country. In service industries such as tourism, the role of quality is paramount. The fishbone diagram serves as a valuable tool for quality management, systematically linking undesirable quality features of products or services to materials, processes, and methods for improvement. A cause-and-effect diagram is a precise tool to identify the root causes of organizational problems and obstacles by illustrating cause-and-effect relationships. With the increasing prominence of the tourism industry in sports, substantial academic research has been conducted. However, a more fruitful avenue may involve examining this field comparatively among countries with more advanced sports tourism practices. To comprehend the economic and revenue-generating aspects of the tourism industry, particularly in Gilan Province, renowned for its climatic diversity, historical attractions, and natural beauty, it attracts over five million visitors annually. Hence, this study focuses on the quality of the sports tourism industry, posing the main research question: What dimensions influence the quality of sports tourism in Gilan Province, and what are the obstacles within each dimension?MethodologyThis study aimed to investigate the quality barriers of recreational sports tourism in Gilan Province using the fishbone diagram. The research employed a descriptive and practical survey conducted through field methods. The statistical population comprised recreational and sports tourists in Gilan Province, with a sample of 223 individuals selected through convenient sampling. The research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire utilizing a five-point Likert scale. Ten physical education professors and experts confirmed face and content validity. The tool's reliability was established through Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α=0/93) and construct validity (exploratory and confirmatory). Data modeling and analysis were conducted using (PLS4) and (SPSS22) software.ResultsTo validate the factor structure of the questionnaire investigating obstacles to the quality of recreational-sports tourism in Gilan Province, two methods—exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis—were employed, guided by the cause-and-effect diagram. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test revealed that the significance level of all components in both leagues is less than 0/05 (α), signaling a non-normal data distribution. Consequently, non-parametric tests and structural equation modeling using Smart PLS version four were employed for testing statistical hypotheses related to them. Three types of validity (content validity, convergent validity (AVE), and discriminant validity) were utilized to confirm the validity of the measurement tool. Content validity was established through expert surveys, and questionnaire reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability coefficients. The measurement tool demonstrates adequate validity (content, convergent, and discriminant) and reliability, and the fit of the structural model of the research was confirmed. Results of the Friedman test indicated a significant difference between the effective dimensions of the obstacles to the quality of recreational and sports tourism. The priority of the obstacles, in order, includes returning home (5/50), destination (4/92), accommodation (4/26), transportation and route (3/67), activities (3/54), qualifications and permits (3/25), and information and reception (2/86). DiscussionIn light of Figure 5, which highlights the significance of all seven dimensions—transportation and route, accommodation, return home, qualifications and permits, destination, activities, and reception and information—strategic planning by relevant managers is crucial. Utilizing insights from factor analysis and the fishbone diagram, managers can prioritize these dimensions and allocate resources, emphasizing investments in human resources and infrastructure and enhancing the physical environment. Giving special attention to visual aspects, coupled with effective executive management, holds the potential to effectively address and eliminate the identified obstacles, thereby elevating the quality of recreational sports tourism.

Keywords

• quality of tourism
• recreational-sports tourism
• fishbone diagram