Introduction: Effective factors on sports tourism are remarkable to attract tourists in every area, so that tourist attractions and the quality of access and available welfare facilities at the destination (Yoong & Usal, 2005) are effective factors on the improvement of tourism in an area and Effective factors on the improvement of tourism should be recognized in Gilan province, since it is one of the major poles of tourism in the country.
Methodology: A researcher-made questionnaire with %94 of Cronbach’s alpha was used in this study. Its validity was confirmed by 12 of sport management professors. The statistical population consisted three groups: 25 cultural heritage experts, 46 sport experts, and 600 sport tourists. The sampling was census in the first and second population. According to conducted studies, the sampling was considered 460 subjects in the third population.
Results: The obtained results of Smart PLS software showed that tourism attractions, development factors of tourism industry, tourism facilities, and water tourism priorities were effective on sports tourism development in Gilan province, but non water-based tourism priorities were not effective on sports tourism development in Gilan province.
Discussion: According to the results of this research based on the importance of tourism attractions and facilities in sports tourism development of the province, provincial infrastructure development should be considered by the authorities that these results are consistent with the results of Yoong and Usal’ s (2005) study. The activities of non water-based Sports tourism have no significant effect on sports tourism development in Gilan province that its reason can be a low priority of non-water sports than water sports in this province. While the water tourism leads to improve sports tourism in this region that is consistent with the results of Hemati Nezhad and colleague's study (2015). Therefore, the access to Caspian Sea coasts as sports tourism attractions of this province is one of the characteristics of Gilan province that it distinguishes this province from many provinces. Therefore, it is important to pay more attention to investment in beach and water sports to improve sports tourism in Gilan province.