The Impact of sustainable tourism dimensions on the achievement of competitive advantages: Evidence from Iraqi tourism and Hospitality setting-Nineveh province

The main aim of this study is to achieve an in-depth understanding of the mechanism by which sustainable tourism affects competitive advantage. The study model was intended to determine the impact of sustainable tourism dimensions (STD) represented by effective sustainable management, social and economic benefits to the local communities, maximize benefits to cultural heritage, and preserving and protecting the green tourism environment, on competitive advantages in tourism and hospitality industry, particularly in Nineveh province in Iraq. The target population of our study is employees of hotels, travel agencies, restaurants, education tourism institutions in the Nineveh province. A convenience sample was selected from this population. Two hundred and six (206) valid questionnaires were retrieved from respondents. The findings of the study have indicated the existence of significant positive correlations between three dimensions of sustainable tourism (effective sustainable management of tourism companies, social and economic benefits to local communities, advantages arising from cultural heritage) on competitive advantages. However, results have shown the fourth dimension, green tourism environment have a negative effect on competitive advantages from community’s perspectives.