Urban Tourism Competitiveness in Iran (Applying Dwyer’s Integrated Model)

High competitiveness of the destinations is one of the key factors of success and benefiting from tourism in the international tourism market. Accordingly, this study seeks to identify the determinants of tourism competitiveness in Iran using Dwyer’s integrated model. After selecting the indicators and categorizing them into six groups, a questionnaire was developed and 129 questionnaires were completed through a web survey. The study population included all employees of the public and private tourism sector as well as professors and students of tourism field were selected. In addition to identifying the determinants of competitiveness of urban tourism, competitiveness of urban tourism was analyzed using OECD indicators.  In order to test the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach's alpha was used. The results revealed that among the six key determinants of competitiveness of urban tourism, only endowed resources (with a total average of 4.17) and situational condition (with a total average 3.55) had relatively favorable conditions. The analysis of the relationship between tourism and six determinants of competitiveness revealed that endowed and created resources have had greater, direct and indirect effect on the competitiveness of urban tourism. Accordingly, protection and enhancement of the environment, the diversification and development of recreational activities, festivals and exhibitions, quantitative and qualitative improvement of tourism guides and information as well as marketing and advertising are suggested as the main recommendations of the study.