Introduction: This study was conducted with the aim of assessing the capacities of land use planning for sustainable tourism development in the Baghdad metropolis..

Purpose:The main objective of the study was to identify and analyze the structural and hierarchical relationships between factors affecting sustainable tourism development using the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) approach.

Geographical area: Baghdad, as one of the oldest cities in the world, has abundant potential for cultural, historical, and natural heritage, but serious security, infrastructure, and management challenges have posed fundamental obstacles to the development of sustainable tourism.

Methodology: The research methodology was combined and implemented in three stages. In the first stage, 12 key variables were extracted through content analysis of in-depth interviews with 20 experts in the fields of tourism, land use planning, urban planning, and urban management in Baghdad. In the second stage, using the ISM technique, a structural self-interaction matrix (SSIM) was formed and converted into an initial achievement matrix. Then, by applying the transgression law, the final achievement matrix (FRM) was obtained. In the third stage, MICMAC analysis was performed to calculate the influence and dependence of each variable, and the variables were classified into 10 hierarchical levels.

Results and Discussion: The research findings showed that security and socio-political stability (V5) with influence of 12 and dependence of 1 is the most fundamental and independent factor at the tenth level and is an absolute prerequisite for sustainable tourism development, and local community participation (V9) and technology (V11) were placed at the first level as the most dependent variables.

Conclusion: In a general conclusion, it can be said that the development of sustainable tourism in Baghdad requires a systemic and hierarchical approach that begins with ensuring security and is completed with community participation and technology.