Challenges and Obstacles in the Development of Winter Sports Tourism in the Ski Slopes of Tehran

Abstract This study was conducted to examine the challenges and obstacles in the development of winter sports tourism at the ski slopes of Tehran. The research population comprised all tourists and athletes frequenting these slopes, who responded to a 40-item, researcher-developed questionnaire. Using available sampling methods and Cochran's formula, 384 samples were collected from an unlimited population. The research questions were analyzed using the DEMATEL technique, which assesses the quantitative relationships between multiple factors of a problem and their mutual influences. The results indicate that the most significant obstacles and challenges to developing sports tourism in these ski resorts, ranked by priority, are related to resources, infrastructure, facilities and services, cultural-social factors, and marketing and advertising. The findings of this research will assist the country's sports managers, ski resort managers, and tourism managers in overcoming these obstacles and challenges, fostering a new and positive outlook for the development of sports tourism in ski resorts and the broader field of sports tourism. Keywords: Winter Sports Tourism, Ski Slopes, Tehran, Development Challenges, Tourism Obstacles, DEMATEL Analysis 1. Introduction The tourism industry is one of the largest and most diverse industries globally (Leber, 2024). Sports tourism refers to the travel experience of tourists who either watch sports as spectators or actively participate in sports events, often involving both commercial and non-commercial competitive activities. Sports tourism is a major sector, accounting for approximately 10% of global tourism expenditures, with an estimated growth rate of 17.5% between 2023 and 2030, transporting a large number of people both within and between continents. Sports tourism generates social, economic, and environmental impacts, accelerates development, and leaves a positive legacy for the future (UNWTO, 2024). The ski tourism industry comprises various segments providing the products and services required by skiers, integrating sports and tourism industries. This industry includes ski resorts, equipment, clothing, training, and related services such as transportation and hospitality. It significantly impacts employment, related industries, regional economies, and the sports industry model. However, the ski tourism market faces challenges in resource integration and market performance. The ski industry forms a cluster combining skiing, ski entertainment, ski technology, and ski culture (Liu et al., 2022). Currently, there are 68 countries worldwide offering snow-covered outdoor ski areas, with approximately 2,000 ski resorts identified globally (Vanat, 2020). According to 2023 statistical reports, over 400 million skiers visited ski resorts worldwide, generating a $70 billion revenue from ski tourism. These facts underscore the importance of ski tourism, which creates substantial income and plays a significant role in the labor market, especially in mountainous regions (Čerba, 2024). In this context, understanding the barriers and challenges and providing effective strategies can contribute to the development of tourism in any region (Safari Aliakbari & Sadeghi, 2023). Iran, with its rich cultural and historical heritage and natural landscapes, has high potential for developing sports tourism, including winter sports tourism in ski resorts, to attract both domestic and international sports tourists. Tehran, the capital of Iran, has numerous mountains with ski resorts around it, offering a great opportunity for the development of winter sports tourism focused on skiing. Unfortunately, despite the significant potential in winter sports, tourism attractions and ski resorts have not successfully contributed to the development of winter sports tourism. Therefore, this study examines the challenges and barriers to the development of winter sports tourism in Tehran’s ski resorts. 2. Literature Review According to Coakley (1990), traveling to participate in or watch sports events is not a new phenomenon. Greeks traveled 900 years before Christ to participate in and watch ancient Greek games. Romans were also skilled at providing "sports packages for spectators." Richards (1993) found that advanced skiers focused more on skiing-related attributes such as snow quality and terrain variety, unlike inexperienced skiers who emphasized price and accommodation. Williams and Lattey (1994) considered skiing physically demanding and dangerous for many women; hence, female skiers are often apprehensive and may avoid the sport. Ski resorts are relatively inaccessible for women in terms of time and cost, emphasizing physical challenge and danger over health and fitness, leading many women to feel that skiing does not align with their interests and lifestyle. Gibson (1998) divides sports tourism into three main categories: 1. Active sports tourism (traveling to participate in sports); 2. Event sports tourism (traveling to watch sports events); and 3. Nostalgic sports tourism (visiting sports museums, famous sports sites, and sports-themed cruises). According to Higham and Hinch (2018), the sports and tourism industries have been rapidly developing since the 1960s, creating a new field known as sports tourism. Kurtzman and Zauhar (2003) view sports tourism as an integration of "the largest social phenomenon in the world (sports)" and "the largest industry in the world (tourism)." Unbehaun (2008) identifies climate change as a future challenge for winter sports tourism, highlighting sufficient natural snow conditions as a criterion for ski destination choice. Under these conditions, high-altitude resorts become important, leading to increased travel distances and costs. Konu et al. (2011) considered the criteria for selecting ski destinations in four dimensions: slope ski services, off-piste ski services, restaurants and social life, and spa services. Bausch and Gartner (2020) argue that the focus in the Alps has been primarily on skiing, while other significant winter tourism markets have been largely overlooked. This paper provides evidence that destinations face external factors, primarily climate change and demographic shifts. The future of many leisure destinations in the Alps depends on how they diversify and adapt to changing conditions. The face of winter tourism is evolving, with the European Alps at the forefront of climate change challenges. According to Muller (2020), global warming is one of the biggest threats and barriers to winter sports tourism in the Alps. Three scenarios are presented: a positive scenario where the industry successfully creates a sustainable solution for winter sports survival; a neutral scenario where market actors, with significant costs, manage to maintain demand for winter sports tourism; and a negative scenario where an industry contraction occurs, leading to reduced supply and profit. Dragovic and Pasic (2020) state that ski tourism is climate-dependent, comparing sustainable methods and adaptation strategies for ski resorts in Europe and worldwide. Main sustainability issues for sports tourism destinations in mountainous areas include CO2 emissions from mass tourist transport, insufficient snow at lower elevations during the season, deforestation, landscape changes, and ecosystem disruption due to the need for infrastructure development in ski resorts. Bichler and Pikkemaat (2021) argue that while winter tourism often focuses on rural areas and snow-based sports, urban destinations can also offer innovative winter sports and urban tourism packages. They identify five push factors (excitement, knowledge, relaxation, success, and family) and six pull factors (core assets, urban assets, natural landscapes, social events, economic aspects, and winter sports activities). Chengcai Tang et al. (2023) believe that in China, due to limited time and rapid development of ice and snow tourism, issues such as overexploitation, poor quality products and services, inadequate investment and financing systems, inadequate management, uniform marketing strategies, and insufficient talent persist. To achieve quality development of ice and snow tourism in China, the paper suggests actions in eight areas: policy, products and services, marketing, safety management and control, talent recruitment, standardization, science and technology, and community involvement. Happ (2023) views winter sports tourism in the Alps as competitive and suggests transforming the Alpine winter tourism market from a “ski-centric” to a diverse and multifaceted tourism model. Leber (2024) emphasizes that the development of winter tourism is closely related to improvements in climate conditions and hospitality facilities, addressing issues such as adverse weather, access, artificial snow production, and waste management. Krzesiwo and Mika (2024) examined the constraints on ski resort development in Poland, identifying barriers such as the cost of new investments and facility modernization, adapting to changing climatic conditions, time-consuming and complex legal issues related to the investment process, irregular legal issues, and land ownership used for skiing. Masoumi Jangard et al. (2018) note that winter tourism, particularly skiing, and its large following due to economic impacts such as local jobs and increased economic well-being, has become a strategic focus for regional development programs worldwide. Rezaei and Afshar (2021) identified 63 snow-catching sites in northern and southern Qazvin Province, selecting eight locations based on necessary criteria and eventually deeming five sites. Safari et al. (2021) concluded that service quality and word-of-mouth advertising have a direct and significant impact on tourists' intention to revisit. Mirhashmi et al. (2021) compared the technical status of national ski resorts with global standards, showing that the Shamesk, Dizine, and Darbandsar resorts