Decisive determinants shaping nomadic tourism future development: The case of Shahsavan tribes in Iran

Nomadic livelihood is one of the earliest human ways of life, still practiced in some parts of the world. Since adventurous tourists are looking for new experiences, nomadic tourism in the postmodern era is gaining attention, considering nomads’ unique lifestyles, customs, clothing, and other cultural features. Consequently, countries with nomads can diversify their tourism industry and the local economy in the future. However, Iran's nomadic community is experiencing unfavorable living conditions and insufficient financial resources, necessitating a shift in nomadic livelihood patterns. This study aims to identify and prioritize the factors that influence the development of nomadic tourism as a supplementary livelihood for Shahsavan nomads in Ardabil. Data were collected following 19 semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. Based on the thematic analysis of interviews, 42 influencing factors were identified. These factors were classified into 12 themes, with seven motivating factors (social capital, government activism, infrastructure availability, environmental capability, economic capability, cultural capital, and nomadic community empowerment) and five hindering factors (demographic, environmental, institutional, knowledge, and cultural barriers) included. Friedman's test was used to rank the importance of influencing factors. This study provides a model for nomadic tourism development.