Th Recognition of stimuli affecting the competitiveness of travel and tourism for the post-Corona (Case study: Iran)

The spread of Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has affected the tourism industry more than any other industry; the closure of foreign borders, domestic travel restrictions, the cancellation of flights, and the closure of accommodation and tourist sites have all caused severe consequences in the tourism industry. Continuation of this trend has reduced the level of competitiveness of most countries in the world to obtain more resources and benefits from travel and tourism thus far. In this regard, this article was to recognize and cluster the stimuli affecting the future competitiveness of tourism in Iran for the post-COVID era by using structural analysis. Theoretical data were collected using desk research, and experimental data by field method (interview, panel of experts, and cross-cutting questionnaire). The statistical population of this study was 20 experts and academic experts, using the Delphi technique and judgmental or purposeful sampling method. 41 stimuli in 4 dimensions of environmental empowerment, the readiness of conditions and legal framework of tourism, infrastructural readiness, and empowerment of natural and cultural resources are processed by structural interaction analysis method in MICMAC software. The findings of this study indicated that the stimuli clustering system indicates their concentration in the dual propulsion cluster. Also, among the 41 tourism competitiveness stimulus for the post-COVID era, the stimulus of boosting travel tours to attract tourists (infrastructural readiness), the choice of Iran due to previous experience (readiness of conditions and legal framework of tourism), and travel leap readiness and decent hosting of tourists (infrastructural readiness) are ranked first to third with 385, 364 and 361 direct impact, respectively. According to the obtained results, it can be concluded that the type of 10 initially identified stimuli with high direct impact is of the type of infrastructural readiness.