The Framework for the Development of Religious Tourism in the Islamic Republic of Iran

The tourism industry is one of the most important factors creating wealth and employment in the world. Religious tourism is one of the main types of tourism in Iran. This kind of tourism can be a source of knowledge, development and sustainability for communities. This study provides a comprehensive framework for identifying and investigating the direct and indirect effects of each of the factors affecting the development of religious tourism in the Islamic Republic of Iran. For this purpose, at first factors affecting the development of religious tourism in Iran is identified by comprehensive review of the literature and opinions of experts in the field and then these factors were rated using Interpretive Structural Modeling(ISM). According to the results “Formulating rules and regulations” and “Having systematic thinking”, is the most basic elements in the development of religious tourism of Iran that must be taken into serious consideration by executives in the industry. The results of this research will help policy makers so that they can choose a better path for the development of religious tourism.