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2025 - Volume 8 - Number 2

Theoretical Framework and Scientific Research Model on Sport Tourism in the Druze Villages of the Golan Heights

Wael Mugrabi * ORCID: 0009-0003-1422-8735
South-West University "Neofit Rilski", Faculty of Economics, Department of Management, Blagoevgrad, BULGARIA

Open Journal for Research in Economics, 2025, 8(2), 103-112* https://doi.org/10.32591/coas.ojre.0802.03103m
Received: 11 November 2025 ▪ Revised: 25 December 2025 ▪ Accepted: 26 December 2025

LICENCE: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

ARTICLE (Full Text - PDF)

ABSTRACT:

Previous studies indicate that hosting regional sporting events can lead to significant increases in accommodation occupancy, tourist spending, and local business revenue for Druze villages in the Golan Heights. In addition to data from previous studies, this article presents a multidimensional theoretical framework to examine the impact of sport on tourism in Druze villages in the Golan Heights. The article addresses scientific theories, including sports tourism, regional development, social capital, and sustainable tourism. Examples of key sports sectors in the region include winter sports on Mount Hermon, water sports in Birkat Ram, mountain races, and the proposed sports complex in the village of “Ein Kiniyeh.” It offers a socio-economic model for developing sports in rural minority communities and extends the sports tourism literature to a unique Middle Eastern context.

KEY WORDS: sport tourism, Druze villages, Golan Heights, regional development, social capital, sport and tourism.

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:
Wael Mugrabi, South-West University “Neofit Rilski”, Faculty of Economics, Department of Management, Blagoevgrad, BULGARIA.

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