Evaluation of institutional-organizational structure of tourism business cluster in rural areas (Case study: Central part of Rafsanjan city)

Given that the tourism industry is a powerful tool for regional development, it is very important to discuss tourism clusters. One of the tourism management strategies at the geographical level is to complete the tourism cluster. The present study has identified the existing problems in the activities of institutions and inter-institutional relations of the tourism cluster in the central part of Rafsanjan city and then presented appropriate strategies in completing the tourism cluster. This research is applied research in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical research in terms of nature and method. Research data were collected through interviews with owners of organizations and management of tourism-related institutions in the study area. Quantitative and qualitative methods (sequential mixing) and NodExcel and ExpertChoice software were used to analyze the data. The results show that there are elements of tourism cluster formation in the central part of Rafsanjan, but there is no horizontal and vertical communication between institutions and organizations in proportion to the complete cluster structure, and this situation needs to be organized, which ultimately strategies to improve hard infrastructure. Organizing attractions and upgrading soft infrastructure were proposed for the development of tourism clusters in the central part of Rafsanjan.