Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Management, Torbat-e Heydarieh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Torbat-e Heydarieh, Iran
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Tabaran Institute of Higher Education, Mashhad, Iran
3
Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Torbat-e Heydarieh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Torbat-e Heydarieh, Iran
10.22034/jitor.2026.2072144.1017
Abstract
Decision-making and policymaking in tourism destinations that do not rely on reliable, analyzable data perpetuate traditional patterns and weaken destinations’ capacity for value creation. Therefore, this study sought to design and validate a data-driven model for value creation within tourism destinations. In this research, a data-driven approach refers to the systematic extraction of the components that influence value creation from stakeholders’ empirical data, followed by the statistical validation of the relationships among them, rather than the mere use of a qualitative method. Methodologically, the study adopted a mixed-methods (qualitative–quantitative) design. In the qualitative phase, grounded theory was applied, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with tourism experts to extract categories and conceptual relationships. In the quantitative phase, a researcher-developed questionnaire was designed to validate the qualitative model and distributed among 384 tourists visiting Mashhad. The quantitative data were then analyzed using structural equation modeling in SmartPLS. The findings of the study showed that causal, contextual, and intervening conditions significantly influenced strategies for developing data-driven tourism businesses. These strategies, in turn, led to outcomes such as tourism development, new job creation, increased investment, and reduced economic and social harms. The results can provide a basis for data-driven policymaking and the sustainable development of tourism destinations.
Keywords