Hossein Abdolmaleki - Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Islamic Azad University Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran.
Mehdi Babaei - PhD of Sport Management, , Islamic Azad University Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran
Nazanin Rasekh - Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Sport Sciences Insitution, Tehran, Iran.
Michal Varmus - Associate Professor of Management, University of Zilina, Zilina, Slovakia.

Purpose: In marketing any strategy or action implemented should be closely tied to creating and development a positive image of tourism destination. The aim of this research was to investigate the factors related to the barriers to the development of sport tourism and its destination images in case of Mashhad city. Methods: The method of this applied research was descriptive-correlation. ۸۷ professors and experts in sport management voluntary completed a questionnaire that Goldi Gouklani (۲۰۱۱) used it in her research. The construct validity was examined by confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability of research instrument was obtained ۰.۸۶ using Cronbach's alpha. At the level of inferential statistics, the normality of the data distribution was evaluated using Shapiro-Wilk test. Finally, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.Results: Finding showed that: Problems of management and human resources have a significant role in the development of Mashhad sport tourism (β = ۰.۴۹۹, P < ۰.۰۰۱). Barriers of legal sponsor has a significant role in the development of Mashhad sport tourism (β = ۰.۲۱, P < ۰.۰۱). Marketing barriers has a significant impact on sport tourism (β = ۰.۱۹, P < ۰.۰۱). Problems and barriers of Infrastructures and facilities has a significant role in the development of Mashhad sport tourism (β = ۰.۲۵, P < ۰.۰۰۱). Weakness of research and study has a significant role in the development of Mashhad sport tourism (β = ۰.۱۷, P < ۰.۰۱). Finally, cultural and educational barriers have a significant role in the development of Mashhad sport tourism (β = ۰.۴۲, P < ۰.۰۰۱). Conclusion: Therefore, planning for solving problems and developing sport tourism and destination images seems to be essential.

Barriers, Development, Destination Image, marketing, Sport Tourism