Identifying the factors influencing the role of capacity management in the supply chain of sports tourism services

Objective:  The sports tourism industry, due to its key role in the economy and regional development, requires optimal capacity management to provide a satisfactory experience for tourists. Accordingly, the present study aimed to identify the factors influencing the role of capacity management in the supply chain of sports tourism services. Method: This study is applied research of a qualitative nature, employing the thematic analysis method. The statistical population of the study included faculty members in sports management, tourism, and sports tourism, managers of tourism agencies, senior officials from the Ministry of Sports and Youth, and PhD researchers in sports management and tourism. The study sample was selected from this population using purposive and snowball sampling methods. Data collection for the research was conducted through document analysis and interviews. The interviews took place between April to August ۲۰۲۴. The research instrument consisted of semi-structured interviews with ۲۰ research experts, continuing until theoretical saturation was reached. The validity of the research was confirmed by experts, and its reliability was measured using the intra-subject agreement method, yielding a reliability score of ۸۳%. Results: The results indicated that the present study identified ۸۸ sub-themes, categorized into four organizing themes: supply capacity factors, access to supply, supply quality, and supply performance. Effective management of these themes, through proper planning, accessibility facilitation, quality enhancement, and performance improvement, can create a positive and memorable experience for tourists and contribute to the sustainable development of the sports tourism industry. Conclusions: The innovation of this study lies in presenting a comprehensive and systematic framework for capacity management in the sports tourism industry, which can serve as a practical guide for managers and policymakers in this field. The practical solutions derived from the research include flexible planning, facilitating access to services, improving supply quality, and enhancing service performance. These strategies can help build loyalty, increase satisfaction, and attract more tourists.

کلیدواژه ها:

Factors Influencing ، Capacity Management ، Supply Chain ، Sports Tourism Services ، thematic analysis