Introduction: Introduction: Sports tourism has become an important driver of economic and social development in regions worldwide, and urban branding plays a central role in shaping destination image, competitiveness, and attractiveness to sports tourists. Despite its considerable natural, cultural, and sporting assets, Kurdistan Province has yet to fully realize its potential as a sports tourism destination. This study therefore aimed to develop and validate a relational model of the role urban brand dimensions play in the development of sports tourism in Kurdistan Province.



Methods: This applied study used a descriptive-correlational design based on a cross-sectional survey. The statistical population comprised individuals directly or indirectly involved in sports tourism in Kurdistan Province, including sports tourists, officials from the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts and related organizations, and faculty members specializing in sports tourism. Using Cochran's formula, a minimum sample size of 267 was estimated; 271 valid questionnaires, collected through purposive convenience sampling (both in person and online), were retained for analysis. Data were collected using Nemati's (2018) standardized Urban Brand Dimensions Questionnaire and a researcher-developed Sports Tourism Development Questionnaire. Content validity was confirmed by a panel of experts, and reliability was established with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.91. Data were analyzed using one-sample t-tests, the Friedman test, and structural equation modeling (SEM) in SPSS 22 and AMOS 24.



Results: All dimensions of urban branding had a positive, statistically significant effect on sports tourism development (p <0/05). The standardized path coefficient between urban brand dimensions and sports tourism development was 0.86. The Friedman test showed that urban infrastructure ranked highest in priority among the urban brand dimensions, followed by unique urban characteristics, international urban position, urban public services, and environmental, social, and cultural factors. Fit indices confirmed that the structural model achieved an acceptable level of fit.



Conclusion: Developing sports tourism in Kurdistan Province requires simultaneously strengthening all dimensions of urban branding. Strengthening urban and sports infrastructure, leveraging the province's distinctive cultural and natural assets, and enhancing its international standing emerge as the most important strategies for increasing destination competitiveness and attracting sports tourists.