THE ROLE OF RELIGIOUS TOURISM IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF URBAN METROPOLIS

This  study aims to examine three dimensions of development, namely, economic, environment, and social-cultural issues caused by religious tourism in Mashhad. A quantitative method used to investigate 288 residents’ perceptions who are settled around the Imam Reza holly shrine. Mean and standard division of the variable is calculated to understated to what extend respondents are agreed about positive impacts of religious tourism in terms of economic, environment, and social-cultural development. ANOVA performed  to compare mean scores of economic, environment, and social-cultural dimensions by educational level, income level, and residency lengths. The results show that  from perspective of residents, development of religious tourism provides economic contribution  in Mashhad. In contrast, negative effects of religious tourism are reported by respondents. According to the findings of the study, there is a census about improvement  of social-cultural issues caused by religious tourism in Mashahd.  According to the ANOVA results, respondents with different educational level have significant different perception about economic impacts. Similarly, perception of respondents about economic, environment, and social-cultural effect of religious tourism varies based on income level and lengths of residency.

Keywords: Economic, environment, social-cultural, religious tourism

ABSTRACT . . . .. . . .. . . .   iii

ÖZ  . . . .. . . .. . . . . .   iv

DEDICATION. . . .. . . .. . . . .. v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT  . . . .. . . . . .   vi

LIST OF FIGURES  . . . .. . . . . . . . x

1.1 introduction  . . . .. . . .. . . …  1

1.2 Significance of the topic/problem statement  . . . . . …  2

1.3 The purpose of study  . . . .. . . . .   4

2.1 Tourism development  . . . .. . . . . …  5

2.2 Definitions of tourism and tourism development  . . . . ..  7

2.3 Tourism Trends and Theories . . . .. . . .   9

2.4 Tourism types and forms  . . . .. . . . ..  11

2.5 Tourism and urban planning . . . .. . . .   16

2.6 Different perspectives of tourism development and growth  . . . .  18

2.7 Tourism, conflict and public interest  . . . . . . …  29

2.8 Resident’s attitude and tourism planning and development. . . ..  30

2.9 Tourism and sustainability concept  . . . . . . .  34

3.1 Iran . . . .. . . .. . . .   35

3.2 Tourism in Iran  . . . .. . . . . . .  38

3.3 Mashhad as the case of study  . . . .. . . . .  44

3.4 Mashhad’s economy and policies . . . . . . …  47

3.5 Demography of Mashhad  . . . .. . . . .  48

3.6 Religious tourism in Mashhad. . . .. . . .   48

4.1 Sample and procedure  . . . .. . . . .   51

4.2 Data analysis . . . .. . . . . .   52

5.1 Results of reliability analysis . . . .. . . . .  53

Factor analysis  . . . .. . . . . . .   53

5.2 Effect of Religious Tourism  . . . .. . . . .  55

5.3 Educational level  . . . .. . . . . .   57

5.4 Income level  . . . .. . . . . . .  58

5.5 Residency lengths  . . . .. . . . . …  62

6.1 Main findings . . . .. . . . . . …  66

6.2 Managerial implication . . . .. . . . .   69

6.3 Limitation and research direction  . . . . . . .   70

Table 1: Result of Cronbach Alpha  . . . .. . . . . .   52

Table 2: Results of factor analysis  . . . .. . . . . . ..  53

Table 3: Average perspective of resident attitude about development dimensions . . ..  55

Table 4: Compare mean of residents’ perception with different educational level   . . ..  56

Table 5: Compare mean of residents’ perception with different income level . . . …  58

Table 6: Compare mean of residents’ perception with different period of residency  . . …  61

Figure 1: Economic impacts of religious according to educational level  . . . .   57

Figure 2: Economic impacts of religious according to educational to income level  . . .  59

Figure 3: Environment impact of religious tourism according to income level  . . . ..  60

Figure 4: Social-cultural impact of tourism according to income level  . . . .   60

Figure 5: Economic impact of tourism based on lenghs of residency  . . . . …  62

Figure 6: Environmental impact of tourism based on lenghts of residency  . . . .   63

Figure 7: Social-cultural impact of tourism based on time of residency  . . . . .  63

Figure 8: Trend of tourism development based on Butlers life cycle model . . . ..  67