The role of sports tourism in supporting the national economy during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

Tourism is one of the decent phenomena that derive from the increasing need to achieve rest and recreation, so this study was to find out the effects of this epidemic on this sector. The research aims to identify the geographical locations of the most important sport tourism facilities and economic importance of sports tourism in supporting the national economy and the impact of the Corona epidemic on the sector in the Kurdistan Region - Iraq.
 The researchers used the descriptive approach (survey) and used the content analysis tool and personal interviews. The research population consisted of all employees in the tourism field in the Kurdistan Region - Iraq, and the research sample consisted of the staff of the General Directorate of Tourism and Antiquities in the Kurdistan Region - Iraq, in addition to lectures of the Department of Archeology in the College of Literature numbered (104) individuals. The researchers used a standardized scale prepared by (Sherwani, 2016) consisting of (40) items distributed into (8) fields. The researchers used the statistical package of social science (SPSS) for data analysis. The study results shows that Sport tourism in Erbil governorate is represented in equestrian clubs, water sports, diving, fishing and rowing, mountain tourism, car and motorcycle driving races, cultural tourism and medical tourism. The researchers recommended that activating and facilitating external and internal investment in the sports tourism sector in the region in general and specifically in the Erbil governorate and Working on building a basic sports infrastructure to encourage sports tourism in Erbil-Iraq.