Important Factors in Sport Tourism Development in West Azerbaijan with the Emphasis on Natural-Sport Attractions

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was the survey of problems and effective factors on sport tourism development in west Azerbaijan with the emphasis on natural-sport attractions. The subjects of this research were 103 experts’. The current research was survey type and performed as a kind of field-research. Data were collected by using a researcher- made questionnaire based on Likert scale (?=0.93). Collected data were analyzed by using Factor Analysis method. Results of the study showed that: Attractions related to the aquatic- coastal and summary sports, and attractions respect to the woodland and desert-running, respectively had the highest and lowest amount. So, effective management and comprehensive planning with strong belief toward investment considering geysers attractions and nature therapy can be helpful to the development of this industry. Therefore, in order to improve sport tourism infrastructure, special budget must be devoted for sports facilities. Moreover, residential and welfare equipments must be created regarding the geographical and regional conditions of each area