A Mixed Modeling of Sustainable Marketing in Iranian Sports Tourism Industry

This research is applied in terms of its purpose and employs a mixed research approach. The data collection methods used are of the descriptive survey type, and the nature of the data is both qualitative and quantitative. Initially, the research involved conducting library studies and interviews with experts in the fields of sports marketing management, sports tourism, and tourism marketing management. The objective was to identify effective elements within the sustainable marketing mix specific to the Iranian sports tourism industry. Subsequently, based on the identified elements, the primary components of the sustainable marketing mix in Iran’s sports tourism industry were categorized. This categorization was accomplished through a survey of experts within a Delphi group, who assisted in identifying items that explain each of the main components of the sustainable marketing mix in the sports tourism industry of Iran. Following this, a research questionnaire was created and distributed among the statistical population. In the qualitative part of the research, coding, summarizing, filtering, and Delphi techniques were employed to extract raw data. In the quantitative part, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the degree of alignment between the theoretical and experimental structures, utilizing Smart PLS software. The findings revealed a total of 104 items involved in the sustainable marketing mix within Iran’s sports tourism industry, categorized into 10 sustainable marketing mixes, including product, price, promotion, distribution and location, positioning and physical evidence, human resources and individuals, planning and management, principles, promise, and partnership.