Objectives: Nowadays, many countries around the world have recognized the extensive dimensions of the tourism industry in terms of production, employment, and income, and have been actively engaged in its development for decades. Among these, health tourism is a type of tourism that has been rapidly growing in the current world, with statistics showing the profitability of this type of tourism. The forthcoming research aims to identify and prioritize the factors influencing the development of health tourism in the hot springs of Dehloran.
Methods: This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of method and has been done with qualitative and quantitative approach. Data collection method is field and interviews and questionnaires are used to collect data. The questionnaire was researcher-made and obtained from interview results whose validity was measured by experts and reliability assert by Cronbach's alpha. The statistical population of this study in the qualitative stage includes 20 experts in the field of tourism who were selected by using the method of sampling available samples and snowball method. The statistical population in the quantitative part of the research includes tourists referring to the level of Dehloran hot springs that the number of them is unknown. Simple random sampling was done and the sample size was calculated based on Cochran's formula and estimated 384. Data analysis was used in qualitative section using open and selective coding to determine the factors and in the quantitative section, inferential statistics including factor analysis and Friedman rank test were used by LISREL software. In this study, to ensure the reliability of the questionnaire and its measurement, all three factors include: factor loads, Cronbach's alpha and combined reliability were used.
Results: After collecting data through interviews with experts and analyzing it in the qualitative and quantitative sections, the results show that solutions including: recreational -facilities, construction changes, cultural- educational solutions, physical infrastructures and health and safety outcomes are the main factors affecting the development of health tourism in Dehloran hot springs. According to Friedman's ranking test, prioritizing the factors affecting tourism development of Dehloran hot springs are as follows: The first priority is cultural and educational facilities with an average rank of 4.00 and second priority is construction changes with an average rating of 3.96. The third priority is physical infrastructure with an average rank of 2.92, the fourth priority is security and health with an average rank of 2.24 and the fifth priority is recreational and welfare factors with an average rank of 1.88.
Discussion: Each of these factors includes indicators that affect the development of health tourism in this region. Cultural and educational factors include indicators as: local customs and educational activities. Factors related to construction changes including: indicators of updating conditions and creating structures and processes attracting tourists. Physical infrastructure includes: security activities such as drinking water facilities, construction of sanitary facilities, construction of indoor swimming pools separately, internet and banking infrastructure, policy on identification of physical facilities of the complex, expansion of advertisements for the complex, proper lighting and lighting in the path and at the level of the complex, and heating and cooling infrastructures. Security and health factors include: indicators of security measures and facilities and medical facilities and Recreational and welfare factors include: indicators such as recreational and welfare facilities, transportation and traffic infrastructures, accommodation and welfare facilities, construction of green spaces and man-made attractions.
Conclusion: The results show that recreational facilities, construction changes, educational cultural solutions, physical infrastructure, and health and safety outcomes are the main factors affecting the development of health tourism in Dehloran hot springs.