Root Cause Analysis of Barriers to Mining Tourism Development in Iran: A Study Based on Thematic Analysis

Abstract

Seyed Shahabodin Hedayati

Mining tourism, as one of the emerging and specialized branches of tourism, combines geotourism, industrial tourism, and cultural heritage, providing a unique opportunity for revitalizing dormant mining areas, creating sustainable employment, and preserving industrial and geological heritage. The Islamic Republic of Iran, with its special geological position in the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt and its unparalleled diversity of mineral resources, is considered one of the world's most suitable countries for mining tourism development. However, this industry faces numerous barriers and challenges in Iran that have seriously hindered the exploitation of this enormous potential. The present study aimed to identify the root causes of barriers to mining tourism development in Iran using a mixed-methods approach (qualitative- quantitative). In the qualitative phase, data were collected and coded through in-depth semi- structured interviews with 16 experts in the fields of tourism and mining until theoretical saturation was achieved, employing thematic analysis. In the quantitative phase, a researcher- made questionnaire with 5 questions and a five-point Likert scale was distributed among 12 experts after confirming face and construct validity (KMO=0.908) and reliability (α=0.98). The findings revealed that the barriers to mining tourism development in Iran can be categorized into four macro-level dimensions: structural-institutional barriers (multiplicity of decision-making bodies, legal gaps, lengthy registration processes for mines), infrastructural-service barriers (lack of welfare and accommodation facilities, poor access routes, lack of safety infrastructure), socio- cultural barriers (unfamiliarity, weak advertising and information dissemination, lack of awareness among travel agencies), and economic-managerial barriers (managers' disinterest, perceived needlessness, insignificance of tourism revenue for state-owned mines). The results indicate that addressing these barriers requires an integrated approach, institutional synergy, reform of upstream laws, investment in infrastructure, public education and cultural development, and shifting the purely extractive view of mines. Mining tourism can serve as an effective strategy for economic diversification, creating sustainable employment in deprived areas, and preserving the country's industrial and geological heritage.

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