Digital tourism, as a new paradigm of destination management, especially in the less developed provinces of Iran, requires systematic identification of key drivers for strategic planning and optimal allocation of limited resources. The present study aims to identify and analyze the key drivers of digital tourism development in West Azerbaijan Province with a futures research approach. This study is applied in terms of purpose and mixed sequential exploratory in terms of method. In the qualitative stage, by systematically reviewing the literature, 40 initial variables were identified in five dimensions: technological, economic, socio-cultural, institutional-political, and environmental, and were categorized in an integrated conceptual framework.In the quantitative stage, a 40x40 cross-effects matrix was completed by 20 tourism and information technology experts in the province, and the data were processed using the MicMac software through structural analysis. The findings showed that among the primary variables, eight variables are in the driver area, and the clear dominance of institutional-political drivers.is the most important finding of the research. Inter-institutional cooperation in the digital tourism ecosystem, data governance and cybersecurity, laws governing personal data and privacy, and high-speed Internet infrastructure are the most important drivers identified, respectively. Also, the complete absence of the environmental dimension among the key drivers is an alarming gap in the province’s digital tourism discourse.By providing a roadmap based on prioritization of drivers, this research provides valuable insights for policymakers and tourism activists in the province.