tourism as a system: mashhad as a model

a systemic approach to tourism may be regarded as a comprehensive measure to appreciate, analyze, plan and mobilize tourism as an industry. through such an approach, one may investigate and bring into alignment factors influencing tourism (such as tourists, the host society, institutes associated with tourism, and the environment) as an interrelated system of elements. to put it another way, a systemic approach to tourism looks at the facts and foundations associated with tourism as a coherent totality, including transportation, accommodation, attractions etc as an element in supplier side and in the other side we have demand, in which the planning agents try to compete with other rivals at an international level in the world. the purpose of the present study is to pave the way for those in charge of tourism in this country to view the industry as an organic system requiring an integrative management trying to keep a balance between supply and demand. the study has adopted a descriptive-analytical deductive approach, based on systems thinking methodology using a field study method and also literature review – documentation to collect the data. in this paper firstly the problem is uncovered and the data is gathered from wto and also other theorists in this field . moreover the paper deals with the macro -tourism in mashhad and finally suggests a solution to mobilize tourism in the city. the field study results indicate that the city’s management of tourism is afflicted by an incoherent decision-making agency, with the associated institutes having little connection or alignment with each other. the situation requires an overarching institute to organize the activities of all those involved in managing tourism in the city.