An Analysis of Internal and External Factors Influencing the Competitiveness of Rural Tourism Development in Mazandaran Province

Objective:The aim of this study is to explore the internal and external factors influencing the competitiveness of rural tourism development in Mazandaran Province

Methods: This study is applied in terms of purpose and qualitative in terms of methodology. It was conducted using an exploratory approach within the framework of grounded theory. In this regard, 20 experts in the field of tourism planning were selected through purposive sampling and interviewed using semi‑structured interviews. In addition, direct observation, document analysis, and the researchers’ experiential insights were also employed. The collected data were subsequently analyzed through qualitative content analysis.

Results: Through axial coding and the development of a narrative storyline, 5 categories, 14 sub‑categories, and 35 concepts related to the internal and external barriers to the competitiveness of rural tourism development in Mazandaran Province were identified. In examining internal factors, 5 categories, 17 sub‑categories, and 24 concepts were extracted, while external factors were classified into 6 categories, 12 sub‑categories, and 32 concepts. Ultimately, a framework and a set of strategies for improving the competitiveness of rural tourism development were proposed, consisting of 5 categories, 18 sub‑categories, and 56 concepts. The resulting model indicates that both internal and external factors are shaped by a set of environmental, economic, socio‑cultural, physical‑infrastructural, and policy‑institutional endowments, which collectively provide diverse strategic pathways for enhancing the competitiveness of rural tourism in Mazandaran Province.

Conclusions: The findings indicate that the competitiveness of rural tourism in Mazandaran is the result of a complex interaction between internal and external factors operating across environmental, economic, socio‑cultural, physical‑infrastructural, and institutional dimensions. Accordingly, the extracted model proposes a set of multidimensional and integrated strategies aimed at strengthening and improving the competitiveness of rural tourism development in the province.