A study on the role of economic structures on the dynamics of creative tourism in the historical bazaar of Tabriz

Zare, Elham; Sattari Sarbangholi, Hasan; Saghafi Asl, Arash

doi:10.22034/uep.2026.564199.1792

A study on the role of economic structures on the dynamics of creative tourism in the historical bazaar of Tabriz

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Elham Zare ¹

Hasan Sattari Sarbangholi ²

Arash Saghafi Asl ²

¹ PhD Candidate, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Ta. C, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran

² Associate Professor, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Ta. C, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran

10.22034/uep.2026.564199.1792

Abstract

This study investigates the role of economic drivers in shaping the dynamics of creative tourism in the historical bazaar of Tabriz, a heritage-based urban space that, despite its rich cultural and economic assets, faces persistent challenges related to investment mechanisms, institutional support, and financial infrastructure. Adopting a quantitative research design grounded in a positivist paradigm, data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to economic actors, creative entrepreneurs, managers, and tourists operating within the bazaar. The reliability and construct validity of the measurement model were confirmed, and causal relationships among variables were examined using structural equation modeling. The findings indicated that local investment, sustainable employment, and creative entrepreneurship constitute the most influential economic drivers strengthening the bazaar’s economic structure, while the creative tourism economy plays a critical mediating role in translating these drivers into tourism dynamism. Moreover, the dynamics of creative tourism in the Tabriz Bazaar are primarily shaped by social and economic outcomes, alongside tourist satisfaction, underscoring the importance of social interactions and community participation. Overall, the results highlighted the necessity of an integrated development approach that combines targeted investment, institutional support, and creative economic activities. Such a framework provides a context-sensitive foundation for policy-making and strategic interventions to foster sustainable creative tourism in historic bazaars.

Keywords

Creative tourism

Creative economy

Economic drivers

Historic urban markets

Structural equation modeling

Tabriz historic bazaar

Subjects

Urban Economy

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