Introduction. Sports tourism is considered an effective strategy for developing local economies, creating jobs, and developing local infrastructure. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify key factors contributing to the development of sports tourism in emerging countries. To accomplish this goal, we studied Zrebar Lake in western Iran. Material and Methods. Administrative documents were reviewed and experts were interviewed to identify the critical factors affecting the development of sports tourism. Afterwards, interpretive structural modeling was used to determine the relationships between these factors. Results. TThe findings of our study indicate six factors, i.e. infrastructure, management, economic factors, competitive advantage, environmental and cultural factors. Using MICMAC analysis, we determined their role in developing sports tourism. Conclusions. The current efforts of tourism authorities to develop sports tourism in emerging destinations should be directed at the effective management of the factors identified by our study. This article is the first attempt to shed light on important factors that need to be considered when developing sports tourism in emerging countries.
