Strengthening Urban Infrastructure with the Impact of Building a Water Park in Hamedan City to Increase and Attract Tourists

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Mohammadreza Feizmanesh
Master of Environmental Engineering, Director of District 3 of Hamedan Municipality, Hamedan, Iran.
10.22034/el.2025.500892.1047
Abstract
In recent years, tourism has been recognized as one of the main drivers of economic development, playing an important role in increasing GDP, creating jobs, and fostering cultural exchange. In urban environments, tourism infrastructure serves as a vital tool for shaping the tourist experience and influencing the tourism sector's growth trajectory. However, many cities face significant challenges in developing and maintaining such infrastructure, including rapid urbanization, limited financial resources, and conflicting development priorities. This study examines the specific role of Hamedan Water Park in stimulating tourism growth and promoting urban tourism in Hamedan, Iran. Using a quantitative research method and structured questionnaires, the impact of the water park on tourist satisfaction, destination image, economic growth, and tourist mobility was assessed. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that the development of Hamedan Water Park significantly (β=0.2443, p<0.001) increases tourist satisfaction, destination image (β=0.2192, p<0.001), economic growth (β=0.2350, p<0.001), and tourist mobility (β=0.2918, p<0.001), explaining 96.08% of the variation in tourist satisfaction (R²=0.9608). Also, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model was well validated with excellent fit indices (CFI=1.000, TLI=1.001, RMSEA=0.000, SRMR=0.001). These findings highlight the importance of investing in specialized recreational infrastructure to stimulate tourism growth and enhance urban competitiveness. In addition, the study emphasizes sustainable infrastructure development and maintaining a balance between economic growth and environmental protection. The results of this research can help policymakers and urban planners in making strategic decisions to improve tourism infrastructure and enhance the tourist experience.

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Human Ecology
Volume 3, Issue 8
Autumn 2024
Pages 639-662