Document Type : Research extracted From projects
Authors
1
Department of Public Administration and Tourism, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
2
Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics, Management and Accounting, University of Yazd, Yazd, Iran
Abstract
A B S T R A C T
Despite its remarkable tourism capacities, Yazd province has consistently faced challenges such as inefficiency in value chain management and weak coordination among stakeholders. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of analyzing and evaluating the tourism value chain of Yazd using the Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) method. This research is applied in nature and employs a descriptive-analytical approach. Data were collected through a field questionnaire administered to experts and practitioners in the tourism sector of Yazd. Sampling was conducted using a judgmental sampling method, and data analysis was subsequently performed using the Importance-Performance matrix. The results indicate that, from the perspective of tourism experts and practitioners in Yazd, the "tour guides" indicator, with a geometric mean of 6.59, holds the highest importance, while "hotels and eco-lodges," with a mean of 4.88, demonstrate the highest performance. In contrast, "semi-prepared food shops," with a mean of 4.78, have the lowest importance, and "destination policy-making and planning management," with a mean of 3.04, exhibit the weakest performance. Accordingly, policymakers in Yazd should focus on factors such as destination policy-making and planning management, digital marketing, and human resources training, while transforming strengths such as health services, hotels and eco-lodges, and tour guides into competitive advantages. Ultimately, it was determined that tourism authorities in Yazd, by establishing a Destination Management Organization (DMO), strengthening digital platforms, and promoting sustainable infrastructure, will facilitate the development of the tourism value chain in Yazd province.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
In recent decades, tourism has been widely recognized as a driver of economic development, employment generation, and cultural identity. Since the tourist experience is shaped by a combination of services, infrastructure, activities, and human interactions, effective management of all related components is essential. This integrated set of activities is referred to as the “Tourism Value Chain,” which includes destination planning and management, transportation, accommodation, cultural services, and interactions that collectively create the final value of the travel experience. Therefore, proper destination management and efficient use of resources can enhance competitiveness and destination attractiveness, while weaknesses in any stage of the chain may reduce the overall quality of the tourist experience.
Yazd province is one of Iran’s major cultural tourism destinations due to its World Heritage-listed historical fabric, unique adobe architecture, handicrafts, and growing eco-tourism facilities. However, tourism development in Yazd faces challenges such as destination management, transportation infrastructure, institutional coordination, and service quality. Accordingly, analyzing the components of Yazd’s tourism value chain can help identify the sectors that need improvement and those with acceptable performance.
The theoretical framework of this study is based on two main perspectives: the internal resource-based view and the localization of tourism development models. The first emphasizes the role of unique and hard-to-imitate resources, such as cultural heritage, local knowledge, skilled human capital, traditional skills, and stakeholder coordination, in creating sustainable competitive advantage. The second highlights the need to adapt general tourism development models to local cultural, identity-based, and capacity-related conditions. Based on these perspectives, this study examines the importance and performance of tourism value chain components in Yazd province from the viewpoint of experts and tourism stakeholders. Its main aim is to identify the most influential elements in shaping the tourist experience and assess their current performance. The study’s innovation lies in applying the importance-performance analysis approach to Yazd’s tourism value chain, enabling key indicators to be classified into four decision-making categories: maintain, strengthen, invest, and reduce resources.
Methodology
The present study, in terms of purpose and nature, is applied and descriptive-analytical respectively. The statistical population involves experts, managers, entrepreneurs, and activists in the field of tourism in Yazd province who have a direct role in designing, implementing or managing tourism activities in the province. A total of 34 selected experts were recruited using purposive sampling. All participants had at least one year of specialized experience in tourism in Yazd. The data collection instrument was a researcher-developed questionnaire comprising 48 indicators. These indicators were assessed using a seven-point Likert scale to simultaneously measure both the importance and performance of each one. The geometric mean for each index was calculated after collecting the data. A method that is more accurate than the normal average and reduces the impact of extreme data. On the other hand, the use of geometric mean in this study made it possible to measure the difference between the indicators more accurately based on the sequential scale and perceived intensity. Subsequently, the data were analyzed in the form of an importance-performance evaluation model. The importance-performance matrix has been utilized in the study as a key approach in the analysis of tourism activities, to assess the competitive position of the value chain elements. The content validity of the questionnaire examined by reviewing the literature and adapting to the value chain models of Michael Porter and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The pre-test of the questionnaire and the application of feedback led to the development of the final version of the research tool. The theoretical framework of the research was based on the models of Porter (1985) and UNWTO (2013) value chain and localized according to the indigenous characteristics of Yazd province. The final indicators were developed after adapting to the real conditions of the region's tourism industry and taking advantage of the internal resource-based perspective. Statistical software and importance-performance matrix were employed for data analysis. This two-dimensional matrix, concentrated on the mean scores (Y-axis) and the average performance scores (X-axis), plotted and analyzed the competitive status of indicators and items. Finally, 48 items are classified into four main areas. The first quarter indicates high importance/low performance (requires immediate action and corrective measures), the second quarter indicates high importance/high performance (preservation and reinforcement), third quarter indicates low importance/low performance (low priority), and finally the fourth quarter indicates low importance/high performance (a potential for the over-allocation of resources).
Results and Discussion
Data analysis revealed a considerable gap between the importance and performance of tourism value chain indicators in Yazd. The overall geometric mean of importance was 6.2, while the geometric mean of performance was 3.8. This difference indicates that although many components of Yazd’s tourism system are considered highly important by experts and stakeholders, their actual performance has not reached the expected level. Among the indicators, tour guides had the highest importance score, with a geometric mean of 6.59. This finding emphasizes the crucial role of tour guides in introducing cultural values, interpreting attractions, and creating meaningful communication between tourists and the destination. Therefore, improving the professional training, cultural knowledge, and communication skills of tour guides can significantly enhance tourists’ satisfaction and the quality of their experience in Yazd.
In contrast, hotels and eco-tourism resorts recorded the highest performance score, with a geometric mean of 4.88. This suggests that the private sector, especially eco-lodges, has been relatively successful in providing authentic local experiences and creating an atmosphere connected to Yazd’s traditional lifestyle and cultural identity. On the other hand, semi-finished food stores received the lowest importance score, with a geometric mean of 4.78, showing that this sector plays a marginal role in creating final tourism value and has limited influence on tourist satisfaction. The weakest performance was related to policy management and destination planning, with a geometric mean of 3.04. This low score reflects problems such as fragmented institutional responsibilities, weak coordination among related organizations, and the absence of an integrated approach to destination management.
Overall, the findings present a multi-layered picture of tourism in Yazd. The province benefits from strong historical and cultural attractions that can appeal to both domestic and international tourists. However, structural weaknesses in management, human resource training, institutional coordination, and infrastructure have prevented these capacities from being fully realized. The gap between importance and performance shows that Yazd’s tourism industry has not yet achieved sufficient organizational coherence and operational efficiency. In particular, the high importance of tour guides indicates that the tourism experience in Yazd depends not only on visiting historical monuments, but also on understanding the living culture behind them through human interaction.
At the same time, the relatively favorable performance of eco-tourism resorts shows the potential of entrepreneurship in Yazd’s tourism sector. If properly supported, this capacity can contribute to sustainable tourism development and improve the competitiveness of the destination. Nevertheless, weaknesses in destination management and policy-making remain among the most serious challenges. Lack of coordination among institutions such as cultural heritage authorities, municipalities, the private sector, and local communities has led to scattered, short-term, and sometimes conflicting decisions. These conditions may waste financial and human resources and slow down the path toward sustainable tourism development.
In addition, insufficient training programs for employees in hospitality and tourism services represent another important limitation. Although some fragmented training initiatives exist, there is still a need for more effective programs to improve communication, managerial, and technical skills in the tourism sector. Transportation infrastructure is also a major challenge, as air and rail access to Yazd is not fully adequate compared with the growing number of tourists, and some road infrastructure does not meet the required standards. These weaknesses can negatively affect the travel experience and reduce the possibility of tourists returning to the destination. Therefore, the findings indicate that tourism development in Yazd requires more than physical infrastructure; it also depends on managerial coherence, institutional cooperation, human resource development, and effective interaction among all components of the tourism value chain.
Conclusion
The objective of this study was to analyze and prioritize the components of the tourism value chain in Yazd province using the Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) matrix. While previous research has primarily focused on categorizing factors influencing competitiveness or tourism development, this study localizes the value chain model and employs the IPA matrix. This approach allows for a more accurate and operational prioritization of management interventions. This research is distinguished by its focus on the provincial level and its comprehensive analysis of the tourism value chain’s components, which will provide appropriate policy solutions for Yazd. According to the analysis of the data, considering the position of the items and the wide gap between the overall average of the importance of the indicators and their average performance; It can be concluded that this gap is mainly focused on the institutional, managerial, and infrastructural dimensions.
The findings also indicate that the item "Tourism Guides" as the most important component of the value chain, plays a pivotal role in creating the tourism experience, and along with "hotels and eco-lodges" which have good performance, is one of the main strengths of Yazd tourism sector. This situation shows that specialized human capital and private sector investment have been able to create a reliable competitive advantage in parts of the value chain. In contrast, indicators such as "destination management and policy-making", "online tourism services platforms", "Transport infrastructure", "waste disposal systems", despite their high importance, are in the first quarter of the matrix, which indicates need for immediate managerial intervention. The focus of gaps in these areas demonstrates that the main challenge of Yazd tourism sector is not the lack of basic capacities, but the weakness in institutional coordination, managerial integrity, and modernization of infrastructure. The absence of a dedicated destination management organization and the fragmented responsibilities across various institutions have led to a lack of policy coherence, resulting in vital indicators performing below their perceived importance.
After qualitative analysis of the performance gaps of the findings, the decisive role of institutional factors such as the lack of destination management organization or interference of tasks, and infrastructure factors such as old transport vehicles, confirms the access limit. Cultural resistance to the acceptance of digital innovations was also identified as a qualitative deterrent. These findings reinforce the research argument that structural problems are a serious obstacle to the full exploitation of Yazd tourism potentials. In this regard, this study contributes to the enrichment of theoretical literature in the field of destination management by providing an efficient analytical framework for evaluating and prioritizing the components of the tourism value chain. Findings, from a practical perspective, provide a scientific basis for formulating tourism development strategies, optimal redistribution of resources and removing structural barriers in Yazd province. Emphasizing the requirement to create a destination management organization, optimize infrastructure, and promote digitalization, presents specific policy solutions to policy makers. Totally, the sustainable development of Yazd tourism requires three simultaneous measures: creating a coherent structure of destination management, strengthening the transportation and environmental infrastructure, and promoting digital integration in marketing and information. Relying on existing cultural, historical and human capital capacities, along with reforming institutional structures, can promote the tourism value chain of Yazd province to a higher competitive and sustainable level.
Funding
This article is derived from the Shahid Ahmadi Roshan Project (Eighth Cycle) and has received financial and spiritual support from the National Elite Foundation, the Elite Foundation of Yazd Province, and the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.
Authors’ Contribution
The authors had equal and collaborative participation in all stages and sections of the research. However, the first author played a more prominent role in the introduction, theoretical framework, and analysis and conclusion of the findings. The second author had a greater contribution to the research methodology and data analysis. The third author also contributed to the editing of the article and the executive operations of the research across all sections of the paper.
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.
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