Presenting an integrated process model to evaluate tourism as a tool for urban regeneration

A B S T R A C T
One of the main motivations of research related to regeneration in developing countries is the expansion of the scope and type of problems of cities, especially in the physical dimensions, which requires a review and change in the process and structure of the management of urban settlements according to processes such as globalization, the tendency of theories related to sustainability and processes of reproducing the space and dimensions of creative tourism require. This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical and mixed in terms of methodology, which was done in two phases as recognition and interpretation. The recognition phase is based on documentary studies, surveys, and Delphi. The panel members were 21 people who were selected based on the non-probability (targeted) method. First, by reviewing the most important studies in relation to recreation with a tourism approach, 3 dimensions, 4 components (Sociocultural, physical-spatial, environmental, and economic) and 45 indicators were extracted. According to the results, six indicators of social sustainability, functional optimization, development of investment, use of design scales, strengthening of social dignity, and increasing presence in the space have received the highest points. In the blame phase, we used structural-interpretive modeling steps that were informed by meta-analysis of secondary data collected from the questionnaire. The results show that the use of tourism elements identified in this article as a tool for urban regeneration requires a four-level approach to the relationships between them, in which infrastructure elements such as types of transportation and access and education and information act as the basic level (fourth) and the most independent level and the type of retail as the first level and the most dependent level of relationships
Extended Abstract
Introduction
In many famous cities of the world, which are considered as the main tourist centers today, the historical textures and spaces and their old city center serve as the focus of attracting tourists and the city brand. Therefore, re-creating, keeping alive, and comprehensive attention to such spaces will play a key role in developing the local tourism economy. So, it has led experts to believe that the sustainability of tourism in the environment of cities is in tourism and creative regeneration. The reason for addressing the subject of the present research is important because, in the texts of recent decades, tourism has been seen as the cornerstone of an urban development policy and has linked the competition in response to visitors' expectations with the development of cities and the well-being and comfort of its residents. As a dynamic industry with distinct and unique characteristics, the tourism industry has occupied an important part of developed and developing countries' economic and production activities.  The relationship between urban regeneration and tourism in the historical textures of the center and core of cities is of interest today. The development of appropriate activities greatly impacts the preservation of historical buildings and elements and makes the presence of citizens and tourists possible day and night. It seems that one of the most effective solutions in reviving historical tissues is to create new activities in these areas according to their physical and physical abilities.  Accordingly, most recent thoughts in urban regeneration have focused on sustainable urban planning and development, and tourism as a clean and income-generating industry has become a tool to achieve this prosperity. Tourism is used as a regeneration tool, and in recent years, there has been a change in the trend towards tourism as an industry in cities, the advantages of which are linked to the regeneration of a city.
 
Methodology
This research was done in two phases: recognition and interpretation. In the recognition phase, the collection methods are based on documentary and library studies, surveys, and interviews.  Qualitative data has been prepared with an open questionnaire and through interviews, as well as document review and quantitative data numerically and through the weighting of Delphi questionnaires.  In the interpretation phase, identifying the sources of supply in a city is very important and necessary. This section used the meta-analysis method based on the secondary data from completing the questionnaire and structural-interpretive modeling to achieve the expected results. Structural-interpretive modeling acts as a tool for understanding and managing variables, provides a framework with directional and leveled relationships for complex issues, and gives decision-makers a real picture of the position of their desired variables.  Structural-interpretive modeling includes identifying variables, defining their internal relationships, and combining their leveling and communication direction to clarify complex issues from a systemic perspective.
 
Results and discussion
The findings of this article in the texture of explaining the causal relationships between the mentioned tourism development elements for urban regeneration show that by using the structural-interpretive modeling process, a directional and leveled framework of these relationships between these variables can be presented.  The results of the causal relationships state that using tourism elements to recreate a city requires a four-level approach. At the most basic and lowest level, i.e., the fourth level, the infrastructure should be provided to create a favorable tourism environment in terms of transportation development and access, including the development of public and pedestrian transportation and the development of education and information.  In the third level of causal relationships, the type of attractions (natural and spatial), as an independent variable, plays a key role. Thus, developing attractions and their dependence on links through quality footpaths and efficient public transportation are considered important strategies for developing historical urban textures. In the second level of causal relationships, two types of business tourism and special events can be complementary.  At the first level of causal relationships, the type of retail sales plays a variable that is completely dependent on other types of tourism, so tourists usually shop in addition to other types of attractions, businesses, events, and cultural tourism.  Therefore, developing this sector to become a tourist attraction requires the development of tourism in other sectors.
 
Conclusion
The best planning approach to overcome the challenges and problems at the level of metropolises is to institutionalize the approach of sustainable tourism so that they achieve development slowly in a continuous and structured process. The realization of this strategy requires the participation of all stakeholders. The regeneration processes that the experts guide in the framework of sustainability guarantee the mechanisms of upgrading and improving the quality of inefficient and worn-out textures. If we accept the urban development plans through the creation of urban infrastructures, the establishment of equipment, and also the required public services, they promote urban tourism in urban areas; it can be concluded that urban development plans create a kind of positive perspective for the development of the tourism sector.  In other words, the development of urban areas directly increases the performance of the texture through the general plan of the sustainability process. In this way, the regeneration process reacts to these changes. Therefore, urban development plans cause investment flows in each functional sector to be inclined towards areas with development plans.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved the content of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.