Journal of Tourism and Development

Journal of Tourism and Development

Analyzing the Factors Influencing the Effectiveness of the Visa Waiver Policy in the Development of Tourism in the Islamic Republic of Iran: A Grounded Theory Approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Shahab Talaii Shokri 1
AmirHosein Eskandari 2
1 1 Faculty Member (Assistant Professor), Department of Culture and Governance, Faculty of Islamic Studies and Culture & Communication, Imam Sadiq University (AS), Tehran, Iran.
2 PhD Candidate in Cultural Policy-making, Faculty of Islamic Studies and Culture & Communication, Imam Sadiq University (AS), Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/jtd.2025.524495.3070
Abstract
In recent years, facilitative policies in the tourism industry have received increasing attention from countries worldwide, with organizations such as the World Tourism Organization publishing reports on this topic. One of the most important of these policies is visa openness, aimed at attracting inbound tourists. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has, in recent years, proposed initiatives to implement visa openness with various countries. However, the lack of comprehensive studies has left the effectiveness of this measure uncertain. The present study, adopting a qualitative approach and employing Strauss and Corbin’s systematic grounded theory methodology, investigates the factors influencing the effectiveness of visa openness in tourism development. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with experts in tourism policy and analyzed using grounded theory techniques. In total, 449 open codes were extracted and categorized into causal, intervening, contextual, strategic, and consequential factors. Findings indicate that strategic and intervening factors play the most significant roles in shaping the effectiveness of the policy. Key barriers included the lack of inter-agency coordination, absence of cross-sectoral perspectives, insufficient attention to international issues, and weaknesses in the supporting infrastructure for visa openness. Conversely, measures such as strengthening strategic tourism planning, developing legal and regulatory capacities, and empowering human capital emerged as critical factors for successful implementation. Finally, the study provides recommendations for the effective execution of visa openness policies, emphasizing the removal of structural barriers, the design of complementary strategies, and institutional coordination.
Keywords
Visa openness policy
Tourism development
Tourism facilitation
Grounded theory
Tourism policy-making.
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