Introduction
Today, tourism beyond an industry has become a global socio-economic phenomenon, a unique economic opportunity, a development passport, the most promising industry for developing countries, the promotion of peace and security in the world, the best way for the improvement of international relations by attracting international capital (Rastghalam et al., 2010). According to the official statistics of the World Travel and Tourism Council (2012), Tourism was introduced the most important and highest-paid industry in the world with $ 944 billion in revenue in 2008. The share of tourism of Gross domestic product (GDP) and employment was (directly and indirectly) a total of 9% of GDP equivalent to more than $ 6 trillion and over 255 million jobs (equivalent to one in 12 jobs in the world) and it was directly $ 2 trillion and more than 98 million jobs (3.3% of the world’s total employment) in 2011. It is predicted that tourism employment will increase by 2.3% in 2012 to more than 100 million jobs (3.4% of total world employment), and by 2020 the number of tourists will be 1.6 billion in the world and the tourism industry directly creates more than 120 million jobs and (directly and indirectly) a total of 328 million jobs (equivalent to one in 10 jobs in the world) (Zitonly et al., 2013).
Sport tourism that emerges from the link between two important tourism and sport industries has been recognized as the best way of marketing the tourism industry (Khatibzadeh, Kouzechian, & Honarvar, 2013) and the most important way of increasing employment, the creation of the reinforcement of tourism destination brand (Kaplanidou, & Vogt, 2007), in the world due to the high attractiveness and the increase of people’s tendency to exercise and the white and smoke free industry (Farahani, Islami, & Poursoltan Zandi, 2017).
Theoretical background
In recent years, the business environment has witnessed many changes in the world, especially in the tourism industry. It has devoted part of people’s lives as one of the essential dimensions of human need and has changed people’s lifestyles. It has become an important part of leisure time in people’s lives. In today’s world, sports tourism is a rich source of profit and income and any country that can provide the conditions for using this resource will benefit from its benefits (Tajadeh Namin, & Esmaeil Moshrefi, 2013).
Statistics show that many countries that have good conditions for sport tourism manage a large part of their economy through the sport tourism economy (Dehkordi Ebrahimi, 2013). Therefore, a review of the literature on privatization in the sport shows that all countries in the world pay special attention to the role and status of privatization in the sport sector. In this regard, governments have also taken steps that have had positive results. Extensive government ownership, especially in underdeveloped countries slows the development of the financial system and limits economic growth (Moharramzadeh et al., 2013).
The phenomenon of privatization was proposed as a practical way for the reform of management and transfer structure of some public affairs to the private sector due to the policies of economic liberalization in the world and the acceptation of this issue that governmental economic enterprises in Iran do not work well (Fakhraei, & Karimian, 2009). Accordingly, it appears that the existence of the public sector makes it difficult to provide and produce effective services and goods, while the private sector is able to supply and produce goods and services with great efficiency due to the existence of competition and different goals, management, and human resources (Rahmani & Shirmohammadi, 2013). In addition to the high performance of the private sector, it leads to effective and positive synergies in the economy due to the specialization, saving on scale, using past experiences, performance-oriented structure, flexibility and speed in decision making, ability for the development of relationships based on trust and mutual benefit, flat and effective structures, a performance evaluation system for the improvement of quality, and ability for the resource allocation and risk management (Zahedi, 2006).
Privatization is the first and most important step in providing a competitive environment and environment. We should remember that countries that consciously pursued privatization with high goals made great progress, but countries that saw privatization or the transfer of ownership from government to private as a goal, did not achieve economic growth and their conditions were sometimes worse than before (Fani & Mohammadnejad, 2006). In this regard, the results of Khatibzadeh et al. (2013) study showed that although variables of quality of access, quality of sports complex, and competition quality had a significant effect on the sports tourists’ willingness to return, but the effect of accessibility quality was more than the other two variables.
Karkon (2011) concludes in a study that there is the potential for the development of sports tourism, tourists’ attraction, local economic development, the increase of infrastructure and recreational facilities in Golestan province, and leisure enrichment through the annual holding of a traditional equestrian event with two 20-week courses in the fall and spring in the cities of Aq Qala, Bandar Torkaman, and Gonbad Kavus. Keshkar and Soleimani (2012) stated that competition, financial and profitability benefits, efficiency, evaluation and supervision, consumer benefits, expertise utilization improved pre-privatization and the deregulation, employment and wages, and the ownership development has remained unchanged.
Keshkar and Soleimani (2012) concluded that there was a significant relationship between the implementation of privatization program and the development of sport for all. Zitonly, et al., (2013) concluded that all research variables except the awareness variable directly affected brand equity. The results of Farahani et al. (2014) study showed that 1. There was a significant relationship between the years evaluated with factors such as tourists’ nationality, their chosen residence (hotel or hotel apartment), and their selected hotel grade. 2. The examination of the status and capacity of hotels and hotel apartments showed that tourists’ number has increased over the years and most of the five-star hotels are used to stay. Masoudinejad (2015) stated in his research that various factors affect the quality of sport tourism services that should be considered in order to improve the status of sport tourism (Hematinejad, Shahriyari, & Malek Akhlag, 2015).
The holding sporting events at the right time and place, promoting public transport system, the use of trained human resources, paying attention to the design and construction of the sports facility, the choose of the right place for building a sports facility, and paying attention to international standards in sporting events can improve the quality of sports tourism services. Therefore, more extensive research should be conducted on other domestic and international competitions to improve the quality of sports tourism services in the country. We need to focus on a wide range of experts with different effective skills and efficiency to provide services. Thus, the identification of the strengths and weaknesses of the industry to reduce the shortcomings and boost the tourism industry can be considered as a key strategy in long-term planning.
Askarizadeh and Panahi (2015) stated that economic, managerial-executive, legal, and cultural-social components were effective on investment attraction in the private sector in wrestling sport. Karimipour and Foroughipour (2015) concluded that there a significant relationship between sport tourism of Kermanshah province and young people’s leisure and employment. Talaei et al. (2015) have considered the role of sport marketing in the development of sport tourism industry and they identified the development of physical and infrastructural structures, the attention to tourist attractions, and the adjustment of strategies based on the distribution of tourist attractions factors that seems to be related to the development of tourism industry in Iran. Moharramzadeh et al (2015) surveyed the executive challenges of the privatization of sport places in sports of cities. They conclude that the executive challenges of Article 88 (privatization of sport places) in the sport of cities are as follows: administrative, cultural-social, economic, and legal barriers.
Bidokhti and Nazari (2009) concluded in their research that television advertising, advertising by friends and family, and radio had the most effect, and social media and advertising in sports and stadiums had the least effect on sport tourists’ attraction to water parks from sport tourists’ perspective. It was also found that there was a significant difference between gender and education level of sport tourists and their attitude in sport tourists’ attraction, but there was no significant difference between sport tourists’ nationality and their attitude.
Shahriyari et al (2015) identified important and effective factors in the privatization of the sport tourism industry in Mazandaran province in their research. They concluded that guaranteed capital, necessary authority in the framework of sport tourism, and the creation of professional unions and formal coordination between the private and public sectors would promote the privatization of the sport tourism industry. It requires an efficient institutional structure in the sport tourism sector that must be logically linked to a long-term policy framework and have the necessary power to access the needed resources, including using the cooperation of relevant ministries in providing infrastructures, rules, and instructions to facilitate access. Providing facilities to the private sector such as long-term loans with low profits, the assignment of land and the elimination of excessive formalities for the creation of sports facilities, stadiums, hotels, travel agencies, and so on can promote the development of sport tourism in Mazandaran province (Shahriyari, Hematinejad, & Malek Akhlag, 2015).
Moharramzadeh et al. (2015) concluded in their research that sports clubs not only incur costs for governments in advanced countries, but they also make money for their country by paying taxes (Moharramzadeh, Ghaebzadeh, & Tavakoli, 2015). The most important advantage of the privatization of clubs is their monetization, since the most important purpose of privatization is to earn money. One of the barriers of privatization in the sport of country is the government structure of the sport and the financial loss of clubs due to due to is repeated the lack of monetization. Ahmadi, Ramezani Nejad and Hojbari (2015) concluded in their study that the development model of the tourism industry can be analyzed based on resource-based strategy with three concepts of ecological and economic power, and recreational power as the future. Therefore, we can identify the highest competitive advantage and attractiveness of each region with the combination of these concepts.
Panahi and Adami (2016) studied stimulant, attractive, and deterrent factors for the evaluation of sport tourism development in East Azerbaijan province. Relaxation, the reduction of fatigue and restoration of physical and mental powers were recognized as the most important components of stimulant factors, transportation status was recognized as the most important component of attractive factors, and inadequate leisure time was recognized as the most important component of deterrent factors of tourism development in East Azerbaijan province. External researches were reviewed in the second part of the study. Késenne (2005) analyzed the effect of hosting major sports events on tourism and focuses on the long-term economic effect. Matos (2006) concluded that the development of sport tourism and the holding of major sporting events are increasingly linked as a part of a tourism strategy with the aim of the increase of city image, urban regeneration, and the development of the tourism industry (Ratkowski & Ratkowska, 2018).
Higham and Hinch (2002) stated in their study that the development of sports tourism will increase recreational and sports facilities and tourism infrastructure and sport is one of the most common ways to motivate tourists to spend their leisure time. Casta and Chalip (2006) examined the role of adventure sport tourism such as paragliding on the revitalization of rural development in Portugal. They stated that there were two main reasons for the use of recreational sports in rural areas for tourism purposes: Low population of the host area and the spatial desirability of the villages in terms of nature as an attraction. Ehsani et al. (2012) stated in a study that sports tourism is one of the factors that causes the rapid growth and tourism market boom in the world and the holding of sports competitions plays an important role in the tourism market boom.
Tomaru (2007) has shown in a study that privatization reduced the production efficiency but increased social welfare. Getz (2008) concluded in their study that sport events and the development of goals, facilities, and infrastructure meted multiple goals that included tourists’ attraction to the tourism destination, destination infrastructure development, the increase of positive image of the destination, marketing of the destination, and the increase of the attractions and special areas. Zhang and Zhang (2009) stated that privatization can enhance economic and social welfare in sports facilities.
Most of the published articles about Olympic Games have focused mainly on appropriate permanent benefits such as the development of facilities and infrastructure, the reconstruction of cities, international credit, tourism growth, the improvement of public welfare, and indigenous employment opportunities. Tsameny, Onumah, & Tetteh-Kumah (2010) believe that privatization improves services, staff training, and productivity and increases customers’ satisfaction. The increase of efficiency in the economy through the assignment of economic activities to self-organizing mechanism of free market segment is the most important goal that privatization follows in most countries. The structure of tourism management in the world, especially in countries that are major tourism destinations is in the hands of the private sector and the large private companies that are the main drivers of the global tourism wheel and they are responsible for a large number of international and foreign tourists’ transportation, accommodation, nutrition, and support. The tourism system is also subject to these elements in Iran too and the Iranian tourism industry also consists of transport, accommodation, nutrition, tours, leisure, entertainment, and attractions like the world tourism structure. However, governmental companies have the majority of tourism industry at their disposal in Iran (Fakhraei, 2010).
According to the mentioned contents, this study tries to demonstrate the benefits of the development of the privatization role in the development of the sports tourism industry for tourists’ use from sports attractions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of privatization on the development of sport tourism in Guilan Province and provide appropriate strategies in this field.
Methodology
Method
The research method was descriptive-survey with an applied nature that was conducted through a field approach.
Participants
The statistical population of this study included all employees of physical education organization, tourism organization, and travel agencies in Guilan province (N=140). The total number method was used to determine the sample size due to the low number of statistical population.
Instruments and Tasks
The instrument of this study was included a researcher-made questionnaire. This questionnaire consists of two separate sections. The first part of the questionnaire included demographic characteristics of the statistical sample. The second part of the questionnaire included 7 main research variables, infrastructure development (questions 1-5), development of sports facilities and equipment (questions 6-10), quality of service (questions 11-17), attracting financial capital (questions 18-21), sports tourist attraction (questions 22-26), sports event marketing (questions 27-30), and individuals’ employment and income (questions 31-35). The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts (n = 12). Its reliability was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha test (0.93).
Procedure
The purpose of study was explained to subjects. The participants were assured that their data will be kept confidential and those will not be available to anyone. All subjects completed a consent form to participant in this study and they attended with the complete satisfaction in this study. The researchers distributed questionnaires among subjects. They explained the questionnaire for the subjects before its completion. The subjects completed questionnaires without name due to the subjects’ security sense.
Results
The research results were analyzed in descriptive and inferential sections. Subjects’ demographic characteristics are shown in the descriptive section. The results in Table 1 show the frequency and percentage of subjects’ gender, age, and educational level.
Table 1
The sample statistical description
Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to determine the normal distribution of data. The results of this test showed that all variables of the research had natural distribution. The results of this test were presented in Table 2.
Table 2.
The results of Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for the determination of the normal distribution of data
The model fit tests that have been applied by model structural equations were used to test the hypothesis and the overall fit of the conceptual model of research. The model fit tests are very varied that some of these tests were used in this study. The structural equation model of the LISREL software output is also presented below. The T-Value coefficients for the relationships between variables are shown in Figure 1. The variables have two types of explanatory relationships for the main variable of this study (tourism privatization is considered in this study) in the structural equations that these are direct and indirect. According to the results in T-Valve diagram, all variables have both direct and indirect explanatory effects on the development of sports tourism index.
Figure 1
T-Value coefficients on the relationship between research variables and the development of sports tourism
The proposed indexes by Gefen, Straub, and Boudreau (2000) were used to evaluate the fit of the model. These indexes include: goodness of fit index (GFI), comparative fit Index (CFI) that those values are more than 0.9 are appropriate for the model, adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI) that those values are more than 0.8 are acceptable values, parsimony fit index (PNFI) that values more than 0.6 are appropriate for the model, and the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) that those values are less than 0.08 are appropriate for the model. These indexes are reported in the Table 3.
Table 3
Goodness of fit indexes of the research tested model.
| X2 /df | GFI | CFI | AGFI | RMSEA | PNFI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.67 | 0.96 | 0.95 | 0.87 | 0.004 | 0.65 |
According to the results in Table 3, GFI، CFI، AGFI، PNFI indexes are more than are more than Gefen, Straub, and Boudreau’s provided values. The statistics value of X2/df is less than 3 that indicates a good fit to the model. The RMSEA values are also lower than the mentioned values above. According to these findings, it can be said that the tested model has a good fit. The Figure 3 shows that there is a significant relationship between privatization and the researcher’s components. This correlation is estimated at 95%. The results of the structural equations are also presented in the Figure 3.
Discussion
According to the published latest statistics in 2016 by the World Tourism Organization (WTO) that states the sports industry creates 25% of the world tourism industry. The interesting thing is that the highest and fastest growth rate among the different types of tourism are dedicated to sport tourism. The tourism and sports industries have been high-efficiency industries in recent decades that have received even the slightest impact from the global recession. The correlation of these two areas and the particular synergy of these two industries provide a great opportunity for countries to use, generate, and profit for countries, governments, and the private sectors. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of privatization on the development of sport tourism in Guilan province. The results showed that the effect of privatization on the development of sport tourism infrastructure in Guilan province was confirmed.
The results of this study in the field of infrastructure development that are improved by applying the sport tourism privatization program in the final structure model show that there is a positive relationship between infrastructure development and privatization program. According to the last place of this component in terms of effect, it can be said that this component will not be in the first priorities of privatization components. The development of infrastructure in the sports tourism industry is the responsibility of the government from the experts’ opinion. The low capacity and efficiency of the business sector related to the tourism sector of our country, including urban, land, sea, air, and rail networks, accommodation and reception facilities, and problems due to flight delays, hotel reservation and airline tickets, inappropriate facilities at the entry points of tourists, lack of communication, electricity, lighting, fuel, and medical equipment, resorts, hotels, restaurants, sports and leisure facilities are the factors contributing to the development of tourism infrastructure.
According to the results of the research, infrastructure facilities with an impact factor of 0.46 had the greatest effect on the privatization of sports tourism and then the development of internet equipment with an impact factor of 0.38, the development of superstructure facilities with an impact factor of 0.36 is in the next position and modern banking development and health development with an impact factor of 0.29 are in the last place of this component. This finding is consistent with the results of the researches of Honorvar (2009), Balali, et al., (2012), Moeinfard (2008), and Weed’s (2006) study. The existence of strong and coherent infrastructures has been reported as an important factor in attracting tourists in these studies that is in line with the mentioned component. The results of this study are conflict with the results findings of Mehmandoust, Daneshsani, and Karam (2015) study that infrastructure development was placed in the first dimension of the prioritization of their indicators.
The results showed that privatization had effects on the development of sports facilities and equipment in Guilan province. According to the determination coefficients of structural equations, development of specialized sports facilities and equipment, the increase of efficiency and optimal use of sports facilities, the increase of infrastructure quality and sports facilities, the development of new technologies in sport places and events, and the choice of the right place to build sports places develop sports facilities and equipment in Guilan province at 51%, 65%, 48%, 41%, and 18% respectively. There was no similar research for this component.
The results showed that privatization had effects on the quality of sport tourism services in Guilan province. According to the obtained coefficient in this dimension that included 7 questions, the effect of privatization and the increase of the quality of sports competitions that was in question 5 had the highest effect coefficient (0.51). This result is consistent with the results of Masoudinejad and Zafarini (2015) study. Conclusions on this dimension and the effective factors influencing on privatization of sport tourism development on the quality of services based on the determination coefficient included an increase in the quality of competitions and events with an impact factor of 0.51, quality of insurance and medical services 0.44, international standards 0.43, quality of sports complexes 0.40, quality of access to complexes 0.37, quality of residential services 0.36 and the increase of quality of design and construction of 0.31 respectively.
These results are consistent with the results of Khatibzadeh, Kouzechian and Honarvar (2013) and Tsameny, Onumah, and Tetteh-Kumah (2010) study. The results showed that privatization had effects on the attraction of sports tourists in Guilan province. Determination coefficients showed that improvement of appropriate political relations with other countries in tourism, the use of appropriate advertising about natural attractions and sports tourism, possibility of financial rewards and valuable prizes for tournaments, traditional tourism events up to, and the facilitation of the process of staying in the tourism sector were 20%, 27%, 15%, 30%, and 44% (it is reasonably possible) respectively. The findings of this study are consistent with the results of Getz (2008) and Samadian et al (2009) study. the results (using appropriate advertisements about natural attractions and sport tourism) are consistent with the results of Samadian’s (2009) study in the second question of the fifth dimension that shows that advertisements is not a cost, but it is a fundamental investment in the promotion of organizational and national goals. If it is well prepared and executed, it will bring valuable achievements. The improvement of political relations is consistent with the findings of Honarvar’s (2004) study in the same dimension in the first question. In fact, strong and good political relations will make the attitude of the men’s government towards the holding competitions in that country positive and send their sports teams to that country without any concern. The existence of peace and security and the absence of war and terrorist groups causes sports tourists’ tendency. The absence of wars and terrorist groups in the host country creates a sense of security for the people, so they can have fun and compete in the host country without fear of social anxiety.
The results showed that the privatization had effects on sports event marketing in Guilan province. According to the determination coefficients of creation of better conditions for hosting major sporting events, the creation of sport tourists’ safety at sport events, the creation of better conditions in the process of holding the competitions at the right time and place, and the increase of conferences and exhibitions are 56%, 39%, 49%, and 47% respectively. These results are consistent with the results of Zareh, Ghalavand, and Shirali (2017), Nasseh (2013), Gibson, Williming, and Holdmak (2008), and Getz’s (2008) study that they believed the right time for sports competitions had a great effect on tourism attraction. The results showed that the privatization had effects on of indigenous people’s employment in Guilan province. According to the determination coefficients, the role of privatization in entrepreneurship, training of specialist human resources for the types of required jobs in tourism, the creation of job opportunities for the people of the region, the development of training centers in the field of tourism, and increase the income of the people of the region were 25%, 33%, 59%, 45%, and 59% respectively that those caused the improvement of the employment of indigenous people’s employment. These results are consistent with the results of Homafar (2011), Kasimati and Dawson (2008), Campbell and Phago (2008), Solberg and Preuss (2007), Kesenne (2005), Costa and Chalip (2006), Andrew & Mark (2009), Getz’s (2008) study that results are consistent with the field of employment and income in the development of the sports tourism industry and hotel management that are actually involved in tourism activities. The results are also consistent with the question four of the seventh component on improvement of staff training and efficiency in privatization. The results are conflict with the results Kashkar and Soleimani (2012). The relationship between privatization and employment is not significant in their study. According to the determination coefficients, the third question of this dimension has the highest impact factor (0.59) that indicates the importance of privatization and its effect on job opportunities for the people of the region.
In general, it can be said that the government of our country has been inefficient in this sector so far. The privatization approach of sport tourism can change the industry and increase gross national product. We have two types of assignment of in Iran among the methods of assignment of economic activities to the private sector that are discussed in this study of privatization of sport tourism. In the first approach: offering shares to specific groups that are assigned to predetermined applicants and this method of government is foppishness, not privatization from the investors’ opinion in Guilan province. That is spreading favoritism and rentals and not a competitive market. The second approach: privatization in the community is done through renting instead of transfer of ownership. Most of our decisions are usually made on the basis of short-term political necessities in our bureaucratic system of our country. The private sector must inevitably admit that it has exploited the state-owned assets in this way and ultimately has no mere ownership over it. Since the government allocates its lease term to the private sector for a limited period (five years) it is not satisfied by private sector investors, because as soon as you build trust and achieve the desired result and profitability, the lease time expires on the part of the government, and the benefits of the effort in these five years will go to the government. While decision-making in the private sector must necessarily be based on long-term policies and economic rationality, the government should delegate management and transfer of ownership to the private sector in its plan that the competitive environment and the creation of the right business environment prevail in society. Proper work prevails in the community and it is the competitive environment that is the most important market advantage.
Conclusion
The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of privatization on the development of sport tourism in Guilan province. The results showed that privatization had a significant effect on the development of sport tourism infrastructure in Guilan province. Therefore, it is recommended to establish a strong supervision system to control related matters of privatization. It is also suggested that the private sector rent places for 20 years rather than five years due to the effect of privatization on development of sports facilities, equipment, and places in Guilan province. The results showed that privatization had effects on quality of sport tourism services in Guilan province. It is suggested that a regular plan should be adjusted to promote tourism share in gross national product of Guilan province. According to the effect of privatization on the attraction of investors and financial resources in Guilan province, it is suggested that bilateral cooperation of government with the private sector be established to support private sector investors. On the other hand, the results confirm the effect of privatization on sport tourism attraction in Guilan province, so it is suggested that authorities pay more attention to sport tourism for economic development. The results showed that privatization had effects on sport events marketing in Guilan province. According to the effect of privatization on marketing of sporting events in Guilan province, it is suggested that widespread advertising and marketing activities be carried out in the form of advertising plans and campaigns. It is also suggested that human resources be sent to developed countries for training in sports tourism due to the effect of privatization on indigenous individuals’ employment in the Guilan province.