Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Business Management, Sar.C., Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran
2
Department of Business Management, Sar.C., Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran.
3
Department of Business management, Bob.C., Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran.
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to test the optimal implementation model of digital marketing in the tourism industry. This research is applied in terms of its objective and descriptive-survey in terms of data collection method. Data were collected using a researcher-developed standardized questionnaire. The statistical population consisted of managers and employees of tourism startups. Given the indeterminate size of the population, the sample size was determined to be 385 individuals using Cochran’s formula for an unknown population, with sampling conducted through convenience random sampling. The composite reliability and reliability of each research component were calculated, indicating the reliability of the measurement tool. The validity of the questionnaire was assessed through content validity, with calculations of the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI) for the questionnaire items, as well as divergent and convergent validity, confirming the questionnaire’s adequate validity. Structural equation modeling was employed for data analysis using SmartPLS4 software. The results identified five main themes: experience-based marketing strategy, tourism-oriented technologies, interaction and trust-building with tourists, human resources and organizational agility, and performance evaluation and competitiveness. Among these, the experience-based marketing strategy theme, with a coefficient of 0.874, ranked first in priority and importance, followed by tourism-oriented technologies with a coefficient of 0.793 (second priority), interaction and trust-building with tourists with a coefficient of 0.786 (third priority), human resources and organizational agility with a coefficient of 0.762 (fourth priority), and performance evaluation and competitiveness with a coefficient of 0.468 (fifth priority).
Keywords