Marketing

Open Access Article

1 - Prioritizing Motivations of Iraqi Tourists Visiting the Holy City of Mashhad

Though discussions about tourists’ motivations have witnessed many investigations in recent years, research regarding motivations for religious tourism is in its infancy. Researchers have not reached an exact consensus in distinguishing religious and pilgrimage tourism. More

Though discussions about tourists’ motivations have witnessed many investigations in recent years, research regarding motivations for religious tourism is in its infancy. Researchers have not reached an exact consensus in distinguishing religious and pilgrimage tourism. Success in destination marketing requires a thorough analysis of tourists’ motivations. Therefore, the current study surveyed and prioritized motivations of Iraqi tourists. The study is based on library research, and the use of a questionnaire. In this study, 385 questionnaires were distributed among Iraqi tourists entering the city of Mashhad. 10 hidden variable and 38 items or questions were analyzed. After the final review, 247 questionnaires were accepted. Demographic variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Confirmatory factor analysis was used in analyzing the main variables. Data validity, reliability, and goodness of fit were approved and the Friedman test was used to rank the factors. The results showed that spirituality and self-actualization motives were of the highest priority. Other motivations were: visiting historic-cultural attractions; gaining respect and prestige; family reasons; searching for safety and relaxation; enjoying recreation and leisure; and learning and curiosity motivations. Pull factors were religio-cultural motivations, leisure attractions, and structural features, respectivesly. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

2 - Conceptualizing Entrepreneurial Marketing in Iran’s Hotel Industry; a qualitative approach
Morteza Khazaei Pool Abolfazl Tajzadehnamin Hamid Zargham Boroojeni mehdi karoubi

This paper tries to identify the dimensions and indicators of entrepreneurial marketing in the hotel industry by establishing a link between three areas of marketing, entrepreneurship and the hotel industry. The research method is a qualitative exploratory method. To ga More

This paper tries to identify the dimensions and indicators of entrepreneurial marketing in the hotel industry by establishing a link between three areas of marketing, entrepreneurship and the hotel industry. The research method is a qualitative exploratory method. To gather data, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 senior hotel managers in Tehran to discover the dimensions and indicators of entrepreneurial marketing in the hotel industry. The results of the interviews showed that the dimensions of the entrepreneurial marketing comprised 62 indicators and eleven dimensions of “risk management,” “innovativeness,” “proactiveness,” “customer orientation,” “competitor orientation,” “opportunity orientation,” “pioneerism,” “networking,” “being updated,” “supply and participation” and “value creation.” The review and critique comparison of the result in manufacturing, retail, food and information technology industry indicated that the dimensions and indicators of the concept of entrepreneurial marketing in the hotel industry were different from non-tourism and hospitality businesses. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

3 - Investigating the Influence of Internal Marketing on Employees' Job Performance Mediated by Knowledge-sharing and The Moderating Role of Communication: A Case Study of Mashhad’s Four and Five-Star Hotels
Ghasem Eslami Farshad Ghaderi

10.61186/journalitor.35989.12.25.101

Today's social community pays great attention to human resources. In other words, the performance of employees in the service sector, especially the tourism industry, is becoming increasingly important. On the other hand, tourism industry employees contribute significan More

Today's social community pays great attention to human resources. In other words, the performance of employees in the service sector, especially the tourism industry, is becoming increasingly important. On the other hand, tourism industry employees contribute significantly to creating a competitive advantage, with organizations with better-performing employees experiencing better business growth. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the influence of internal marketing on the employees’ job performance mediated by knowledge sharing and the moderating role of communication. The current study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive survey in terms of method. The statistical population of the study comprised the 390 employees of four and five-star hotels in Mashhad. The required data were collected from the administered questionnaires, which were then analyzed via structural equation modeling using the AMOS software. The findings of the study indicated that internal marketing exerted a positive significant influence on knowledge sharing and staff performance. Moreover, knowledge sharing was found to have a positive effect on employees' job performance. Furthermore, the positive effects of the moderating role of organizational communication and knowledge sharing were also confirmed. The present research is descriptive-survey in terms of applied purpose and method of work. The statistical population of the study includes the staff of hotels in Mashhad. The collected data from 390 questionnaires were analyzed by structural equation modeling with AMOS software. Findings showed that internal marketing has a positive and significant effect on knowledge sharing and employee performance. At the same time, knowledge sharing has a positive effect on employees' job performance. Another result was that the moderator role of organizational communication was also confirmed. In addition, the role of knowledge sharing interface was also confirmed. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

4 - Identification of Tourism Marketing Factors via Metasynthesis
aziz arfai Farshid Namamian

10.52547/journalitor.35996.10.20.211

Abstract As the most widespread service industry in the world, tourism has managed to take center stage among many managers and researchers. Hence, pinpointing the factors of tourism marketing and offering optimal solutions towards facilitation of tourist absorption a More

Abstract As the most widespread service industry in the world, tourism has managed to take center stage among many managers and researchers. Hence, pinpointing the factors of tourism marketing and offering optimal solutions towards facilitation of tourist absorption are of prime significance. Not to mention, since only few factors of tourism marketing have been addressed in previous studies, the present research aimed to identify the tourism marketing factors via metasynthesis. In this exploratory applied research, the entire studies on tourism marketing, conducted over 2000-2020, were taken into consideration. To this end, 580 studies were assessed, of which 87 were finally selected purposefully. Finally, through content analysis and combining the relevant literature using open, pivotal and selective coding methods, 78 codes, 21 concepts and six categories were selected and analyzed, whose validity were supported by Cohen’s Kappa Coefficient.The results demonstrated that the key categories were as follows: integrated marketing (incentive promotional mixes), satisfaction, relationship marketing, internal marketing, electronic marketing, and ICT factors. Further, a deep understanding of the existing literature on tourism marketing is presented by the present study. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

5 - Investigating the Moderating Role of Cultural Homogeneity in the Relationship between Internal Marketing and Employee Satisfaction among Tourism staff in Iraq, Turkey, and Western Iran,
Fakhrodin Maroofi Seyed Farhad Hosseini

10.52547/journalitor.36041.9.17.0

The role of internal marketing in employee satisfaction has been empirically investigated in more than 200 researches so far. However, few studies have addressed the role of employees in cultural backgrounds. Taking this literature gap into consideration, this descripti More

The role of internal marketing in employee satisfaction has been empirically investigated in more than 200 researches so far. However, few studies have addressed the role of employees in cultural backgrounds. Taking this literature gap into consideration, this descriptive survey study sought to survey the moderating effect of cultural homogeneity on the relationship between internal marketing and employee satisfaction in the workplace. The study's statistical population comprised the Iranian, Iraqi, Turkish, and Kurdish tourism employees, out of which 338 staff were selected via the available sampling method. The required data were collected through library research and questionnaires. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the collected data. The results of the study indicated that there was a positive correlation between internal marketing and employee satisfaction (0.53). Moreover, the study's practical and theoretical findings confirmed that cultural homogeneity could further enhance internal marketing and employee satisfaction (0.678). Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

6 - Identifying Componential Elements of Tourism Marketing Using Metasynthesis Method
Ehsan Dorostkar

10.52547/journalitor.36097.10.20.0

As the most widely provided service industry worldwide, tourism has attracted the attention of a wide variety of managers and researchers. Therefore, it is crucially important to identify the componential elements involved in tourism marketing and offer optimal solution More

As the most widely provided service industry worldwide, tourism has attracted the attention of a wide variety of managers and researchers. Therefore, it is crucially important to identify the componential elements involved in tourism marketing and offer optimal solutions to facilitate tourist attraction. Considering the fact that previous has merely partially investigated the factors involved in tourism marketing, this study sought to conduct a comprehensive examination of such factors, systematically reviewing the expansive related literature. This study is considered exploratory in terms of purpose and applied in terms of nature, using the meta-synthesis method to analyze the collected data. The study’s statistical population comprised 580 studies conducted from 2000 to 2020, out of which 87 studies were selected using purposive sampling. The collected data were then gone through content analysis, coded based on open, axial, and selective coding methods, according to which 78 codes, 21 concepts, and six categories were identified and analyzed using the meta-synthesis method. Finally, the validity of the analyzed data was confirmed by Cohen’s Kappa Coefficient. According to the study’s results, the main categories identified for tourism marketing were as follows: integrated marketing (incentive promotional mixtures); satisfaction; relationship marketing; internal marketing; electronic marketing; and ICT factors. Therefore, it could be argued that this study offers a deep understanding of the existing literature on tourism marketing. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

7 - Augmented Reality Technology: A Novel Marketing Tool in Tourism Industry
niloufar hadianfar

10.52547/journalitor.36102.11.22.285

Introduction: Many businesses were challenged by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020 worldwide. Meanwhile, the tourism industry was among those industries that were affected the most by the pandemic, suffering huge losses economically. Therefore, conside More

Introduction: Many businesses were challenged by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020 worldwide. Meanwhile, the tourism industry was among those industries that were affected the most by the pandemic, suffering huge losses economically. Therefore, considering the restrictions imposed by governments on tourists’ travels to counter the spread of the virus, turning to virtual tourism can partially compensate for some of the losses incurred in this regard. Goal: Investigating the potential tourists' attitudes toward AR applications, their intention to use them in their future travels, and, similarly, their intention to recommend these applications to others. Methods: The required data were collected via online questionnaires using the convenient sampling method. The research questions were then analyzed via the SPSS software using a binominal test. Findings & Results: The results indicated the positive attitude of the respondents and their high willingness to use and recommend this application to others. Conclusion: The findings of the study suggested that the respondents had a positive attitude towards using AR-based applications and that they were willing to use them for their future travels. Moreover, it was found that they were ready to recommend such applications to others. Therefore, AR technology could be regarded as an opportunity for marketing managers of tourist destinations to use to maintain public awareness of their destinations’ brands during the lockdown imposed upon the outbreak of pandemics such as covid-19. Moreover, this new technology can help flourish tourist destinations by creating added value for tourists. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

8 - Investigating the Influence of Human Resources Management Activities on Customer Loyalty in the Hoteling Industry Using a Multilevel Approach
zahra Nikkhah-Farkhani Mohammad shaykhzade

10.52547/journalitor.36121.11.21.1

Considering the fact that customer loyalty is regarded as one of the most important concerns of hotel managers, this study sought to investigate the influence of human resources management activities on customer loyalty using a multi-level approach. The statistical popu More

Considering the fact that customer loyalty is regarded as one of the most important concerns of hotel managers, this study sought to investigate the influence of human resources management activities on customer loyalty using a multi-level approach. The statistical population of the study comprised of managers, staff, and customers of four-star and five-star hotels in Mashhad. Moreover, the statistical sample size of the research at the organization level consisted of thirty-four, one-hundred and forty, two-hundred and forty managers, staff, and customers at organizational, staff, and customer levels, respectively. On the other hand, Sam’s 12-item questionnaire (2008) and the 17-item questionnaire developed by Al-Rafiei et al. (2013) were used to measure the human resources management activities and the staff’s satisfaction and loyalty, respectively, whose validity and reliability was tested using the Content validity method and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. Finally, HLM 7.02 and the SPSS software were used to analyse the collected data. The results proved the positive influence of human resources management activities on the staff’s satisfaction and loyalty, and in turn, on the satisfaction and loyalty of the customers. Therefore, it could be argued that hotel managers can increase the loyalty of their customers by emphasizing human resource management activities and improving their staff’s satisfaction and loyalty, which would increase the profitability of hotels in the long term by reducing marketing costs. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

9 - Investigating the Role of Social Capital, Social Interaction, and Knowledge Sharing in E-Tourism Marketing
haydar mohammadi mosavi jad seyed mohammad yosra salehi seyede hayde nemati

10.61186/journalitor.36224.11.23.181

Today, the expansion of electronic tourism has decreased the intermediary role of travel agencies, and tourists themselves directly purchase travel packages. Therefore, travel agencies must develop new strategies to deal with this new situation and revive their business More

Today, the expansion of electronic tourism has decreased the intermediary role of travel agencies, and tourists themselves directly purchase travel packages. Therefore, travel agencies must develop new strategies to deal with this new situation and revive their business, including the use of social capital, social interaction, and knowledge sharing in electronic tourism marketing. This study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive survey in terms of methodology. The statistical population of the study comprised managers of travel agencies in Tehran, out of whom 110 participants were selected via non-probable quota sampling. The required data were collected through a researcher-developed questionnaire, whose content validity was confirmed by six expert professors and experts in the field of tourism and management. Moreover, the convergent and divergent validity of the questionnaire was confirmed. On the other hand, the total and composite reliability of the questionnaire was found to be over 0.7 and 0.8, respectively, which proved to be acceptable. The collected data were then analyzed under descriptive and inferential categories using the SPSS and SmartPLS software. The findings of the study indicated that social capital, social interaction, and knowledge sharing had a direct influence on e-tourism marketing. Moreover, social capital and social interaction were found to have a significant positive influence on knowledge sharing. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

10 - Investigating the Role of Residents' Support for Health Tourism Development in Marketing Using the Cognitive Mapping Approach: A Case Study of Isfahan’s Healthcare Town
mahnaz Doosti-Irani Mir Mohammad Asadi

10.61186/journalitor.36247.11.23.63

Focusing on "the residents' support for the development of health tourism" as a variable that could be considered by marketers to increase demands for this kind of tourism, this study sought to investigate the variables affected by the residents' support and prepare a f More

Focusing on "the residents' support for the development of health tourism" as a variable that could be considered by marketers to increase demands for this kind of tourism, this study sought to investigate the variables affected by the residents' support and prepare a fuzzy cognitive map of such factors using a systemic model. To this end, the aforementioned variables were identified using the Delphi technique. Then, the research model was developed and analyzed using fuzzy cognitive mapping. The findings of the study suggested that the residents' support affected factors such as the destination image, tourist satisfaction, tourist loyalty, positive advertisements by word of mouth, perceived quality of services, tourists' emotional solidarity with the residents, and spatial belonging of tourists to destinations. Moreover, the results of fuzzy cognitive mapping showed that in a system consisting of the above-mentioned variables, the residents' support played a significant role in tourist loyalty and positive word-of-mouth advertisement, with its impact being greater than that of satisfaction or even service quality. In other words, winning the residents' support is a priority in this regard. Moreover, residents' support affects other relevant factors, including perceived quality, tourist satisfaction, spatial belonging, and emotional attachment. Therefore, gaining the residents’ support is highly recommended to be considered in marketing health tourism. Considering the research gaps in this field, the results of the current study could be used for enriching the related literature. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

11 - A Behavioral Study of Supply and Demand in Tourism Industry Based on the Capitalist System's Developments
Hamid Shayan mahdi mododi sajad ferdowsi

10.52547/journalitor.36268.10.19.0

Identifying the behavioral patterns of applicants and suppliers of tourism products in different destinations is considered as one of the most important marketing tools. Therefore, This study sought to develop a model for investigating the supply and demand behavior in More

Identifying the behavioral patterns of applicants and suppliers of tourism products in different destinations is considered as one of the most important marketing tools. Therefore, This study sought to develop a model for investigating the supply and demand behavior in tourism based on the developments made in the capitalist system. Accordingly, to identify and classify the factors regarding the behavioral changes in the supply and demand system within the tourism industry with regard to the capitalist system's developments, the relevant literature was systematically reviewed using the meta-synthesis approach. The statistical population of the study comprised all studies published in reliable scientific databases related to this study's topic. The findings of the study indicated that the supply and demand behavior in the tourism industry has changed in line with the developments made in the capitalist system from Fordism to Post-Fordism. Accordingly, behavioral changes in the tourism demand can be defined based on three components, namely planning, tourism products, and features. Also, the behavioral changes of tourism supply can be defined based on four components including the economy, planning, tourism products, structure, and function. This study prepared the ground for identifying the behavioral pattern of supply and demand in tourism by measuring and evaluating the behavioral model of supply and demand in tourism based on the capitalist system's developments, directing the development of tourism in different regions. Manuscript profile

Open Access Article

12 - Developing a Qualitative Model for Integrated Marketing Communication in Travel Agencies
ali mirtaheri abdollah Naami Alireza Rousta

10.52547/journalitor.36269.10.19.0

In today's competitive environment, companies have to use a variety of new communication methods to maintain profitable relationships with their customers. Therefore, this cross-sectional study which was based on the principles of interpretivism (social constructivism), More

In today's competitive environment, companies have to use a variety of new communication methods to maintain profitable relationships with their customers. Therefore, this cross-sectional study which was based on the principles of interpretivism (social constructivism), sought to develop a paradigm model for integrated marketing communication in travel agencies and tourism offices using grounded theory. The study period lasted from the beginning of 2020 to June 2020 and used interviews for collecting the required data. To this end, 12 detailed non-structured interviews were conducted on scientific-practical experts, including job experts in the tourism industry and university professors using the judgmental method. The collected data were then divided into fifty-two primary codes, fifteen sub-categories, and six core categories according to the open, axial, and selective coding using MAXQDA qualitative data analysis software. The study's results indicated that integrated marketing communications in travel agencies were derived from integrated analysis (causal conditions) and were influenced by contextual requirements (technical-individual), being able to produce the required outputs (purchasing, repurchasing, and creating the integrated marketing communications' recommended value in the travel and tourism industry) for realizing the central phenomenon if suitable strategies are adopted (aligning hardware and software tools in terms of optimal use of advertisement's mixed communication tools). Moreover, the intervening factors were determined by identifying environmental conditions-related categories using the textual data collected from the interviewees. Finally, the selected coding was performed according to the definition of the five assumptions obtained. Manuscript profile

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