Barriers to the Implementation of the Circular Economy in Iran's Tourism Industry

In recent years, the circular economy has received special attention worldwide, as it offers an opportunity to optimize and enhance sustainable production and consumption in a new way based on the continuous and unlimited creation and use of resources. Although many benefits of applying the circular economy have been identified, less attention has been given in studies to identifying the barriers. Given Iran's historical background and geographical conditions, the tourism industry has high potential to improve Iran's economy. Therefore, exploring circular economy practices in this industry guides us to a better understanding of how to implement it. Hence, the aim of the current research is to identify the barriers to the circular economy in Iran's tourism industry. The research methodology is qualitative and employs the fuzzy Delphi method, conducted in three rounds with the participation of 20 academic and industry experts. The results revealed that 21 components in 5 main categories hinder the implementation of the circular economy in Iran's tourism industry. These barriers include the role of the government, knowledge and technology, socio-cultural issues, economic topics, and market-related issues. Strategies resulting from this research include creating the correct culture, fostering synergy and participation in the value chain and supply chain among businesses active in this industry, and enhancing the government's supportive role in the circular economy in this section.

Barriers to the Implementation of the Circular Economy in Iran's Tourism Industry Keywords:

Circular Economy , Tourism Industry , Barriers to Implementing a Circular Economy , Sustainable Tourism , Tourism in Iran