The influence of determining factors in sustainable branding of coastal tourism destinations (case study: Bushehr port)

ghplamreza amininejad ¹ ( Assistant Professor of Geography, Payam Noor University, Tehran .Iran. )
mohammad gholami ² ( Assistant Professor of geography, Payam Noor University,.Tehran Iran )
Hossein Mozaffari ³ ( Visiting lecturer of Tourism Department of Payam Noor Bushehr University )

Submited date : 2023-06-19 Accepted date : 2023-10-16

Keywords: Sustainable Development, Urban Tourism, Urban Branding, coastal tourism destinations,

Abstract :

The purpose of this research is to investigate the influence of determining factors in the sustainable branding of coastal tourism destinations, centered on Bushehr Port. This research is "applied-developmental" in terms of research targeting and "descriptive-analytical" in terms of methodology. The current research’s conceptual scope is urban planning, tourism planning, sociology, and future studies. In terms of time, the scope of the current research is from 2021 February to 2021 June, and in terms of location, the scope of the research is Bushehr Port. The statistical population of the research is the citizens and tourists visiting the cultural heritage, tourist attractions, and urban environment of Bushehr, and the sample size is 600 citizens and tourists who visited the important tourist attractions. The research data collection tool includes 127 analytical measures that have been collected through the method of content analysis and reading the basic text from reliable domestic and foreign sources. Lisrel and SPSS software were used for data analysis. The important findings of the research indicate the confirmation of the explanatory factors of the tourism brand in Bushehr Port based on awareness, comprehensibility, loyalty, advantage, identity, and economic and strategic quality of the brand, which can be identified and explained. The assumptions of this research are placed in 2 categories: 1- Tangible components and 2- Intangible components. The components of Bushehr's national and international position, the sea and the coast, architecture and historical buildings, local food, commercial and shopping centers, accommodation and hospitality centers, scientific-research centers, and health-treatment centers are tangible, and the components of local music, customs, and traditions. Personalities, celebrities, and cultural events are among the intangible components of this research. These components have been identified and explained in order of priority; 1- Sea and coast 2- National and international location 3- Architecture and historical buildings 4- Local music 5- Commercial and shopping centers 6- Personalities and celebrities 7- Accommodation and hospitality centers 8- Local food 9- Customs 10- Centers scientific-research 11- cultural events 12- health-treatment centers, and have a meaningful communication structure to explain the brand in Bushehr port.