شناسایی و اولویت‌بندی مؤلفه‌های مؤثر بر توسعه گردشگری شهر مهدیشهر

Tourism, as one of the most important solutions for sustainable local development, plays a key role in improving the quality of life, increasing employment, economic dynamism, and preserving cultural heritage. Successful development of urban tourism requires identifying the factors that affect the attraction and retention of tourists, especially in lesser-known destinations such as the city of Mehdishahr. The present study aimed to identify, classify, and prioritize the factors that affect the development of tourism in this city. The research method is descriptive-analytical and based on a quantitative approach, and data collection was carried out using a structured questionnaire. The statistical population included tourists entering the city of Mehdishahr during a specific time period, and sampling was carried out using a simple random method. Exploratory factor analysis was used in SPSS software to analyze the data to identify the latent structure of variables and key factors. The research findings indicate the identification of 9 main factors affecting tourism in Mehdishahr, including: service infrastructure (2.084), cultural-traditional attractions (1.349), tangible tourism experience (1.497), security and historical heritage (0.848), socio-cultural security (0.883), natural attractions and accessibility (0.915), diversity of hospitality and accommodation services (1.115), information-environmental guidance (1.004), and cultural-historical information (0.359). Among these factors, factors such as service infrastructure, cultural attractions, and tourism experience have a higher coefficient and are of significant importance in attracting tourists. The results of this study can provide a basis for designing sustainable tourism development policies and promoting Mehdishahr's position on the country's tourism map. The findings of this study can also create an analytical framework for decision-making at the local and regional levels and help urban managers, policymakers, and tourism activists in effective destination planning and management.