Social Networks and Tourism Policymaking in Iran

Tourism policy making, as an essential pillar in sustainable tourism development, is a fundamental priority for researchers to explore. In this vein, thecurrent research probes into Iran's tourism policies, namely Tourism Development Vision and comprehensive national and regional plans, and highlights the need for identifying factors affecting the success or failure of these plans. The main questions dealt with in this study are about what and how social networks’ websites influence the success of tourism policies in the country. Atotal of 357 foreign tourists visiting Isfahan were chosen randomly. Subsequently, correlation test was performed on the data collected through structured questionnaires. Findings indicate that social networks’ websites influence trust and risk in tourism; and interaction of these two factors with travel intention ultimately affects the success or failure of Iran's tourism policymaking.