Hamid Zargham Boroujeni; Mahdieh Sohrabi
Volume 4, Issue 2 , Spring 2014, , Pages 75-101
Abstract
The Islamic Republic of Iran got into a long war after the invasion of Iraq in 1981. In addition to the external blessings, this war has left benefits within the Iranian Islamic system. Explaining the cultural achievements of this war is a necessity which can be interpreted as defining the future strategy ...
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The Islamic Republic of Iran got into a long war after the invasion of Iraq in 1981. In addition to the external blessings, this war has left benefits within the Iranian Islamic system. Explaining the cultural achievements of this war is a necessity which can be interpreted as defining the future strategy of the Iranian Islamic revolution. One of the most effective ways to introduce the achievements of the imposed war to young generation and promote persistence culture, is their presence in the operational areas of eight-year war and watching the remains of that time, and so understanding the spiritual atmosphere of these areas. According to the available statistics, the enthusiasm of young people to such tours, which called ‘Rahiyan e Noor’ (Light goers), in our country, and ‘Battlefield Tourism’ in tourism scientific literature, has increased in recent years more than ever. This study is heading to examine the motivations of tourists visiting battlefields and their classification, to promote persistence culture. Data have been gathered from library resources, interviews with experts, and filled questionnaires by visitors. The study population consisted of all Iranians who had visited the country's battlefields and 152 of them were inquired by snowball sampling. The results indicate that the main groups of the visitors are Pilgrimage-memorial and cultural-heritage tourists. Most of them are motivated by national and religious aims and are interested in learning about the courage of the warriors. The results can be used in war tourism management and planning to promote its cultural and social benefits.
