The Examination of Factors Affecting the Expansion of Tourism Industry and Their Impacts on Tourists' Satisfaction With a Focus on Isfahan Province(Iran)

The present paper was the result of a set of studies aiming at recognizing the problems and difficulties of Tourism industry in Iran. This study attempted to show the shortcomings in this industry. One of the goals pertaining to the research was the amount of satisfaction among tourists who traveled to Iran and also, comparing the views of Iranian Experts in Tourism industry with that of Foreign tourists about Iran Tourism industry. The samples were 2 groups: one group was of Tourism industry Experts working in Tourism Organization and another, was foreign tourists traveled to Isfahan. In this research, sampling was done in cross-sectional method from tourist hotels in Isfahan, i.e. 200 tourists from eight nationalities and 50 experts from Tourism industry were examined. In the theoretical framework of the research some theories such as the theory of exchange and the theory of sustainable tourism development were also considered. This research tried to answer the following questions: what arc the effective factors in attraction and repulsion of Iran' s Tourism industry') How satisfied arc the foreign tourists travel ing to Iran (Isfahan)? And what factors are involved in this satisfaction? For the reliability and validity of the questionnaires, first, we administered the first-draft questionnaires to a limited number of tourists and experts. Then, the final-draft questionnaire was made according to the findings and was administered to the actual sample. Then, data were analyzed using SPSS software. Data analysis indicated that the following factors would affect the tourists' satisfaction and the boom in Iran tourism industry: Improving tourist welfare facilities, providing more period of stay, establishing security. having more publicity campaign. decreasing religious restrictions, planning private investment in Tourism industry, developing stable transportation. lifting commercial limitation, upgrading educational quality in tourist areas, expanding Iran's cultural relations with other countries, etc.