Codify strategies for sports tourism development in Ardabil province Based on SWOT and QSPM model

the purpose of this study was to codify strategies for sports tourism development in Ardabil province based on SWOT and QSPM model.

This research was of type field research which was done Field-based and descriptive-analytical method. The research method was of the type mixed (qualitative-quantitative). The statistical population of the study consisted of all managers and experts of the General Department of Sports and Youth (80 people) and the Tourism and Heritage Department of Ardabil province (120 people) (N = 200); the sampling was taken as a whole. The data collection tool was made in the qualitative section of the open questionnaire and interviewed by experts and in the quantitative section of the researcher's questionnaire that validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by 12 sports management professors and its reliability was calculated (α = 0/93). For codify and extraction of strategies, SWOT analysis was used to rank the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of Friedman Ranking Test.

The results showed that in strengths of the subfactor "insurance of athletes' events" are of the highest importance and in the weak section of the subfactor "low utilization of experiences in the development of cross-sport and tourism" as the highest point of weakness from the viewpoint of respondents was selected and in the Opportunities section of the subfactor, "The presence of highly trained and capable guides in attracting foreign sports tourists" is of the highest importance and in the threats section of the subfactor, "the Shortage of comprehensive and coordinated program for the development of sport tourism" was selected as the highest case that threatens the tourism industry in Ardabil province.

In order to develop sports tourism in Ardabil province, providing quality and better services to athletes, benefiting from the experiences of other cities and countries, making maximum use of experts, and developing applications and operational plans can greatly contribute to the development of tourism in Ardabil province.