International Journal of Metaverse & Virtual Transformation

Identification and Evaluation of an Advanced Tourism Ecosystem Management Model in the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Khuzestan Province

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mehran Mohammadi Azad 1
Ali Kangarani Farahani 2
Seyed Rasoul Aghadavood 3

1 Department of Public Administration, Sho.C., Islamic Azad University, Shoushtar, Iran.

2 Assistant professor, Department of Business Management, Adiban institute of higher Education, Garmsar, Semnan Prvince, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Public Administration, .Deh.C., Islamic Azad University, Dehghan, Iran

Abstract
This research aims to identify and evaluate an advanced tourism ecosystem management model in the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Khuzestan Province. The study is an applied-developmental one. Based on targeted sampling, 15 managers from the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Khuzestan Province were interviewed, and in the quantitative section, all heads, managers, and employees working in the organizational sections, whose number is unlimited and according to the Kohne formula is 211, were considered. The qualitative data analysis was performed using the ATLAS.ti software, and for validation, structural equation modeling methods were used in the SMARTPLS software. In the qualitative stage, the identification of 6 main themes, 26 central themes, and 160 initial codes showed that advanced tourism ecosystem management is a multidimensional, network-based phenomenon that depends on the interaction of various organizational and environmental layers. Overall, the results indicate that achieving an advanced tourism ecosystem in Khuzestan Province is not a one-time project but a gradual process requiring institutional commitment, investment in digital infrastructure, human capital empowerment, and synergy between public and private sectors. The proposed model can provide a basis for intelligent policymaking, efficient resource allocation, and enhancing the province's competitiveness at the national and international levels, paving the way for sustainable development and enhancing the status of Khuzestan tourism.

Keywords

Tourism Management
Knowledge Management
Advanced Tourism Ecosystem
Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Khuzestan Province
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 24 December 2025
  • Revise Date 10 February 2026
  • Accept Date 27 February 2026

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