Showing 17 results for Rural Tourism
Mohamadreza Rezvani, Mehrnoush Moradi,
Volume 1, Issue 2 (3-2013)
Abstract
Strategic tourism planning is being considered as a way of rural development. It further is a response to Globalization and rural reconstruction. Tourism development requiers systematic comperhensive approach. Rural settlements located in margin of desert area of Mighan, despite of their varied tourism potentials, are very deprived and distressed. The major objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of tourism development and is relevant the system. Sample is composed of tourists, residents, and local managers. Random sampling technique was applied in order to come up with 274, 150, and 30 respectively. This is followed by application of desriptive and inferal statistics including T students. This study suggests that due to a lack of knowledge of tourists as well as tourism marketing, tourism demand regarding, tourism attractiont the study area is very negligble. It further suggests that tourism constituent’s elementsincluding tourism constituents elements including tourism attractions, transportation, infrastructure, and tourism sales and participation are at medium level. However, knowledge level regarding tourism was fairly poor. It is argued that internal tourism potentials as well as external tourism opportunities of the study area are oppropriate. Via appropriate and consolidated tourism planning including marketing, promotion and improvement of tourism infrastructures and superstructures, we could exploit all of the internal strengths as well as external opportunities regarding tourism development.
Teymour Amar,
Volume 2, Issue 3 (6-2013)
Abstract
Tourism is being considered as a very influential factor. It proves an undeniable role regarding development of the region. This in turn implies some consequences including changes in architecture style, misallocation of different land uses, destruction of agricultural lands and the ignorance of rooted and classic rural activities. The research method of this study is based on analytical-descriptive method .It further supports the application of documentary as well as interviews with local experts in Daylaman eco tourism area. This area experiences drastic physical changes during past decades. This study aims to prove the impact of capitalist thoughts on physical elements with different identity, and its resultant decrease in unified locational characters. This study suggests that on average, 230 tourists arrive in the region daily .However, in spite of 31% decrease in rural population during 1375-1385, there exists great demand, and 25 % increase, with regard to construction activities. Moreover, even though Daylam as an administrative and political center and its corresponding villages possess physical plans, but the speed of changes in geographical landscapes are such that the organization and management of virgin and suitable spaces are being relatively ignored. The continuation of this situation could lead to monopolization of geographic spaces, destruction of resources, and divergence from the objective of Daylaman’s sustainable development plans.
Kumars Zar-Afshani, Lida Sharafi, Shahpar Garavandi, Parastoo Ghobadi,
Volume 2, Issue 5 (12-2013)
Abstract
It is being argued that rural tourism is considered as a prominent activity with respect to rural development. This industry is known as invisible export by economists. Tourism as a broad activity is associated with some major economic, social and environmental. It further argues that tourism planning demands identification of these impacts as far as the host community is concerned. This in turn accentuates sustainable tourism development. This study aims to investigate the impact of tourism upon Rijab resort of Kermanshah as a host community. Sample siege amounted to be 270. As such 200 questionnaires were gathered using random sampling technique. Principle component results indicate the tourism development bears four major consequences including income generation, environmental problems, cultural development, and reduction of social capital. The result of this study provides some recommendation for tourism bodies. These related organizations could strengthen positive impacts and mitigate negative consequences.
Sadegh Hadizadeh Zargar, Behrang Sakhaee,
Volume 3, Issue 8 (8-2014)
Abstract
The increasing rate of unemployment and young age bracket migration from relatively rural settlement are being considered as one of the most prominent threats in rural communities during past decades. It is argued that tourism provides high potential settling in this regard. It is capable of generating job opportunities and counter stream migration. Taking into consideration the existing potentials and purposed investment, regarding rural tourism could help rural development. The major objective of this paper is to determine the most appropriate option available to rural tourism taking into account their capabilities as well as threats associated with northern Roodpay in Sari. The research method based on objectives has applied nature and methodologically speaking is descriptive – analytical. It is followed by application of SWOT as well as T2 FS-AHP. This study suggests that eco-tourism is known as a good alternative regarding tourism in northern Roodpay. It is further followed by cultural tourism, sport tourism and agricultural tourism respectively.
Ali Ghasemi, Varaz Moradi Masihi,
Volume 3, Issue 8 (8-2014)
Abstract
Rural tourism and tourism economy are being considered as one of the major economic development indicators. Moreover, most of the planners and policy makers believe that tourism industry is the major element of sustainable development. As such, rural tourism through appropriate planning and identification of advantages and limitations could perform effective role regarding rural development as well as national development. The major objective of this study is to identify potentials and capabilities regarding sustainable tourism Alltapeh village located in Behshar in Mazandarn province. This village encompasses Abasabad tourism area which is among one of the recorded safaveeye’s tourism attractions. This study aims to explain the role of tourism regarding economic – social sustainable development in the study area. Research method is based on analytical – descriptive. Data gathering demands application of field work and documentation. Data analysis is based on SWOT matrix emphasizing weaknesses, strengths, threats and opportunities as well as proposing suggested strategies in order to achieve sustainable rural tourism. Statistical society composed of 1900 rural settlers located in the study area as well as tourists (500000 per year). Sample size was determined to be 218 which constitute of 78 of local community and 140 tourists. This study suggests that rural ecological vulnerability taking into account Abasabad tourist area is relatively high. This paper further believes that rural tourism requires more attention regarding tackling threats and limitations and relative comparative advantages as far as an appropriate policy making is concerned. It further concludes that tourism planning could lead to local economic variations and thriving organized economic activities and more importantly sustainable rural tourism.
Mojtaba Ghadiri Masoum, Mohamadreza Rezvani, Mahmoud Jomepour, Hamidreza Baghiani,
Volume 4, Issue 12 (9-2015)
Abstract
Introduction
Poverty is one of the greatest challenges confronting humanity. It is said that poverty is almost related to natural resources, while it is also because of some other factors like natural and human capitals. Villagers are considered among the poorest and most vulnerable within human societies, especially in the countries of the third world. If the purpose of development is obviously that of poverty alleviation and eradication through employment generation for the rural and urban poor, supplying the minimum of basic requirements acceptable to everyone, increase of productivity, causing more balance between geographic areas and socio-economic classes, decentralization and people involvement in the process of decision-making, having emphasis on collective and national self-confidence, finding balance and the recovery of living conditions, then we can consider the rural communities as one of the most significant factors causing the above objectives come true. So, rural development plays a vital role in achieving the overall objectives of development at the national level. Approaches and paradigms are always provided by scientists and theorists to assist us achieving the above objectives. In 1980s, sustainable livelihoods (LS) and sustainable livelihoods approach (SLA) was proposed to be used a new approach in poverty eradication. The main emphasis of this approach was based on a comprehensive and integrated thought for poverty eradication and rural development. In a short time, this approach could attract the attention of many researches. Since, livelihood capitals is an important aspect of sustainable livelihoods approach and because of the important role of these assets in the livelihood of families, especially rural ones whose condition is influenced by tourism activities, in this research we decided to investigate the impact of tourism activities on livelihood capitals in mountain tourism villages of Bala-Taloqan in Taloqan County so we can find out the answer to the question that which villages are better in the case of this kind of capitals.
Methodology
As a city of Alborz Province, Taloqan County is located at a distance of 90 km from the center of the province and within the northwest of it. In 2012, the city had 2 parts of central and Bala-Taloqan. It was also consisted of 8212 households and a population of 23765. Bala-Taloqan as the study case of this research consists of two rural districts: Kenar-rood and Joestan (central district) with 48 residential villages. In this paper, we have selected 10 mountain villages which have been affected by tourism. The purpose of this study is to investigate the issue of prioritization of capitals resulting from tourism activities in mountain tourism villages of the district of top Talogan, among inhabited households using analytical- descriptive method with an emphasis on library work, field studies and completing the questionnaires. Meanwhile, hierarchical Filler Triangle was used as a model to weighting each indicator along with Oreste method for ranking and prioritization of the mountain tourism villages in terms of investigating the condition of tourism assets and capitals.
Discussion and Conclusion
Considering livelihood capitals, Galird has the best and the village of Manglan has the worst condition. Galirad village, according to its proper position relative to the connecting roads and its distinctive tourist attractions, i.e. the old house of Ayatollah Taleqani, enjoys a certain reputation that has caused more tourists go there. Moreover, Guidance plan has been already implemented in the village that is important in the improvement of connecting roads quality and making easy-access roads. After Galird, Karkbud village is located in the second place. Its famous waterfall is the most important attraction of the village which has given it a national reputation. Although, it has located at an altitude of 2200 meters and it is difficult to access it, the attractive waterfall has compensated for this limitation and attracted tourists. Additionally, the village is very rich in terms of natural capital, but tourism has not developed enough and has failed to make the promotion of other capitals. The results of interviews conducted with residents indicate that they are dissatisfied with tourists there and think of them as a contributing factor to environmental degradation and the rise of social abnormalities. Joestan has also dedicated to the third place of this ranking. Vicinity to Shahrood River and the presence of tomb shrine of Haron the son of Muses, are the most important attractions of this village. Although it is the center of Top Talogan district, it has failed to accomplish its central role. So, many people have left the village over time as even the tomb shrine as a strong religious attraction with lodging facilities has not been able to properly accomplish its role of attracting tourists. For this reason, it is only social capitals, and partially, financial capitals, which have perfect situations here. Other villages have similar status and in spite of having human and natural attractions they have not been successful enough in collecting capitals. Of course, it must be mentioned that in this district tourism is mostly found in the form of Daily tourism and second home tourism by a more percentage of Daily tourists than the second-home ones. Because in the mountain villages studied, due to the lack of access to adequate lands with sufficient slopes in order to construct housing units, there have always been lots of limitations for constructing second houses for the non-native. Additionally, in some villages such as Karkbood, native people refuse to sell lands to the non-native and this could affect the status of financial capital of the village.
Hamed Ghadermarzi, Davood Jomeyni, Alireza Jamshidi,
Volume 4, Issue 14 (2-2016)
Abstract
Introduction
Tourism can be a tool for rural development; because it can be considered as a new financial resource, it can improve the economic status of local people and it can be considered as a resource that removes poverty and creates more jobs. Tourism and rural development are also two interrelated factors which have positive impacts on each other when tourism development or rural development take place. As a region that is one of the top fifty tourist attractions in Kermanshah Province, Ghoori-Ghale village is one of the most important destinations of tourists to the west of the country; annually, this region receives thousands of tourists from other parts of the country and from neighboring countries especially Iraqi tourists. Studies show that the number of tourists in this village increased considerably during the past years; so that the number of visitors has increased from 116000 people in 1381 to 418000 people in 1386 and more than 500000 people in 1391. More than natural attractions of the village and cultural values in Ghoori-Ghale, the most important tourist attraction in Ravansar County is Ghoori-Ghale Cave as a natural phenomenon and it is the second tourist attraction of the Oramanat region. Construction of more than 30 shops and stores and full-time employment of more than 30 individuals around the cave, is just one of the advantages of Ghoori-Ghale Cave for inhabitants of Ghoori-Ghale village. Base on this, some questions are raised including that "which indicators of rural development have been mostly effected by tourists' arrivals?", "at what level are the impacts of tourism on rural development of Ghoori-Ghale?" and "how many factors are defined as the impacts of tourism in rural development of Ghoori-Ghale village and what are the important ones?"
Methodology:
This study is practical one which used analytical-descriptive researches method. For data collection documentary method and field study are used. The study population includes all heads of householder in Ghoori-Ghale village (240 people). Because of limitation of population and their availability, the sample study was chosen by complete enumeration method. The basic research tool was self-constructed questionnaire in which, after necessary modification, its validity was confirmed by university professors and other tourism experts. To examine the reliability of the constructed questionnaire, a guide study was performed out of the studied region with 30 questionnaires. Cronbach's Alfa Coefficient was obtained by using SPSS, version 0.861 and it showed the high level of reliability in using of research tool. The five-point Likert scale has been the indicators' scale for this case (very little: point 1, little: point 2, average: point 3, great: point 4, very great: point 5) and for statistical analysis descriptive statistics (average, standard deviation and coefficient of variables) and one sample T-test have been used and also for recognizing the impacts of tourists' arrivals on inhabitants of Ghoori Ghale, regarding some limited and important factors, factor analysis technique has been applied.
Discussion and Conclusion:
Because of profitability and high level of job creation for host communities, today, rural tourism can be considered as one of the most important tools for developing and following that for sustainable development of rural inhabitants especially in regions with high potential in attracting tourist. This study findings showed that most of rural inhabitants in the studied area are completely satisfied with tourists' arrival and they are ready to attract more tourists. Moreover, the results showed that tourists' arrival to Ghoori Ghale village mostly have impact on many indicators including development of employment, increase of inhabitants' income, diversity of economic activities, constructing or developing local markets, infrastructure development, increase of land value and housing, increase of purchase power and improvement of living status, decrease of rural immigration and return of immigrants to the village, increase of the constructions and diversification of domestic products. The results of studying the overall level of the impacts of tourism showed that most respondents believe that tourism has considerable impacts (average of 3.4) on development of Ghoori Ghale village. The results showed that the impacts of tourism on inhabitants of Ghori Ghale village are summarized in six main factors which on the whole, determined 82.6% of total variance of impacts of tourism regarding the target village. The recognized factors in order of their importance are as follow: economic factor, infrastructurephysical factor, social-cultural factor, health-environmental factor, involvement factor and safety factor. Regarding the high potentiality of Ghoori Ghale village and other neighboring villages, by proper management and villagers' participation, it is possible to create a tourism hub in the region in which Ghoori Ghale village is the central part and consequently, this matter can be a good prospective for development of neighboring villages to Ghoori Ghale.
Asadollah Divsalar,
Volume 5, Issue 16 (8-2016)
Abstract
Introduction
In this world, villages have turned to a be a place for those people who escape from urban life and machinated life and so people travel to villages to rest. Regarding to the range of demands and necessities of rural environments in these days, rural tourism is developing and its importance and appealing is increasing. In the process of regional planning, rural tourism can be considered as a tool for increasing the local occupation and improving the quality of life and as a result increasing the level of economic welfare and social facilities. Handicrafts in rural regions is a complement factor for agricultural economy. Because of potential job creation opportunities and also earning money, while handicrafts can fill villagers' free time and eliminate unemployment, it can prevent seasonal or permanent migrations that is considered as one of the social harms. This study tries to answer two questions about foothill villages in Behshar County which are very potential at creating and producing handicrafts: First of all, what is the role of growing and developing handicrafts in rural tourism economy? And secondly, regarding the role of handicrafts in tourism economy what villages are at the top respectively?
Methodology
Methodology used in this study is descriptive and analytic-survey. Data collection has been done by documentary and field study using Likert Scale questionnaires. Data collection has been done by documentary and field study using Likert Scale questionnaires. Statistical population includes 18 foothill villages of Behshahr County; their geographical location and demographic features are shown in figure 2 and table 1. Handicraft products in these villages include wood craving, sculptor, felting, wrapper weaving, carpet weaving, basket weaving, and based on Cochran Formula, 249 householders were chosen as sample size and they were classified randomly. For data analysis, One Sample T Test, Chi- Square, and deviation from optimum have been used. To evaluate validity and stability of the questionnaires by Cronbach's Coefficient Alfa, the results of 25 questionnaires have been tested; the calculated Alfa is 0.89. To obtain validity of the 249 questionnaires, KMO Test and Bartlett's Test have been used; the obtained number is 0.8 that suggests a desirable validity.
Discussion and Conclusion
Tourism and tourism economy have turned to one of the major business principle of world. Beside tourism that has an effective role in national development and diversification of national and regional economy, handicrafts can be a complement for some historical and tourism attractions. Tourism is one of the most important activities; in recent decades tourism has a special place in economic development in some countries. This industry creates income, foreign exchange, job and also it exchanges culture, and more than that it has assigned a share in economic activities of the world including exports. Results show that handicrafts have a role in development of rural tourism economy in Behshahr that is more than the average level. In foothill villages of Behshahr county, among all the villages, Koa village with number 2.59 has the least impact regarding the following indicators: attracting native and non-native tourists, improving the level of earning income for tourism activists, developing the sustainable capacities, attracting cultural tourists, developing and improving tourism attractions and setting up exhibitions for developing handicrafts. Kiasar village with the number 4.76, and having the first grade, has the most impact regarding the mentioned indicators.
Aliakbar Najafi Kani, Kobra Najafi,
Volume 10, Issue 35 (4-2021)
Abstract
Introduction
The tourism industry can provide a good platform for investment, and because of its less reliance on resources, provides an opportunity for less developed countries to stimulate their economic growth to increase production and create job opportunities. Meanwhile, the villages have very favorable and special conditions in accordance with their cultural, social, economic, geographical and natural structure. Today, tourists are interested in visiting farms, orchards, groves, springs, cultural and tourist landscapes in rural settlements. Therefore, planning to use them to develop rural tourism is inevitable. Undoubtedly, rural tourism is a reliable source in many developed and developing countries, which can have a significant impact on increasing the income of villagers. One of the biggest benefits of the rural tourism sector is to create income and increase wages, and consequently to improve the economic situation for the people who work there. Accordingly, the overall purpose of this study is to investigate the capacity of tourism development and provide solutions to develop tourism in mountainous villages near the metropolis of Tehran.
Damavand County is in Tehran Province, which has been selected as a typical tourism region of Iran. According to the 2016 census, its population is 125480 people. This county with an area of 1932 square kilometers, includes five districts named Damavand, Absard, Kilan, Rudehen and Abali, two districts including central and Rudehen and 111 villages. Its average height above sea level is 2300 meters.
The center of this county (Damavand city) is located 75 km away from Tehran and has an average height of 2051 meters and its population is 48380 people.
The central district of the county consists of three rural districts, Jam Abroud, (Absard city as capital), Abarshiveh Rural District, (Sarbandan village as the capital), and Tarrud Rural District, (Mara village as the capital), which overall have 87 villages.
Damavand mountainous and countryside county, with its many capabilities and diverse geographical landscapes, has potential and actual capabilities to attract tourists. Abali track, lakes such as Tar and Havir lakes, several waterfalls such as Tizab, Ayeneh Rud. Cheshmeh A'la and Roodafshan Cave and its numerous springs, beautiful gardens and farms, and a very pleasant climate are among its tourist attractions.
The most important attractions of this area attract many nature enthusiasts. For many years, it has been used by the public, especially the residents of the metropolis of Tehran, and many travelers travel from other areas, so comprehensive understanding, design, and proper management to develop tourism in this area is essential and inevitable. Accordingly, the present study, by examining and explaining the important factors of tourism development, tries to consider the welfare of present and future generations, improvement in the quality of life and finally improvement of economic and social welfare level and creating a healthy rural environment in the study area. According to the mentioned issues, the fundamental questions of the research are as follows:
- What is the capacity of rural tourism in the studied villages?
- What are the key strategies to solve tourism issues in rural areas?
Research Methodology
Research type is applied research and the research method is descriptive-analytical and field study. The statistical population of the present study is rural households living in the twelve studied villages that according to the 2016 census the population is equal to 14024 people and 3600 households, 15 questions in this research as tourism development capacity and 18 questions as possible challenges for tourism development. It was set in a five-level Likert item (very low, low, medium, high and very high). Tables 1 and 2 demonstrate the reliability of the research instrument using Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the studied components which were 79%, the sample size was 260 by using Cochran's formula and the number of samples was randomly simple/systematic after measuring, the generators were analyzed by using SPSS software and using a hierarchical cluster analysis method.
Discussion and Conclusions
The results of studies in the field of rural tourism show that tourism is an important factor in the occurrence of positive and negative changes in the economic, social and environmental fields at the local and regional levels. Although this activity can lead to the development of rural areas, it can have both adverse consequences. The results of the Friedman Test for measuring the tourism development capacity explain a significant difference at the 99% level with each other. Also, for the challenges of tourism development a significant and 95% difference between the investigated indices is observed. The results of the hierarchical cluster analysis test (neighborhood matrix calculations) Euclidean distance of each village is compared to the next village and based on this, the similarities and differences of the villages have been explained. Then, the clustering process is done in eleven stages, and the studied villages are classified into four categories in terms of tourism capacity. The first cluster villages (Moomej, Jaban Ayneh Varzan) and the second cluster villages (Sarbandan, Zan, Seyyedabad, Havir, Dehnar and Shalambeh) have the most tourism development capacity respectively. Although the third cluster village (Vadan) and the fourth cluster villages (Sorkh Deh and Hashemak) have many tourist attractions compared to the first and second cluster villages, they have lower tourism development capacity. The studied villages are also divided into four categories in terms of the challenges of tourism development. The first cluster village (Moomej village) and the second cluster villages (Jaban, Sarbandan, Vadan, Zan, Ayneh Varzan, Seyyedabad, and Dehnar) have the most challenges in tourism development, respectively. However, the villages of the third cluster (Havir and Shalambeh) and the villages of the fourth cluster (Sorkh Deh and Hashemak) have the least challenges respectively. It can be concluded that while some villages have a high tourism potential based on studied indicators, some of them are also more vulnerable. Therefore, the endeavor of all local managers and officials towards the comprehensive management of rural tourism development is essential and inevitable.
Ali Movahed , Moslem Ghasemi , Leila Oroji ,
Volume 10, Issue 36 (8-2021)
Abstract
Introduction
Entrepreneurship is one of the development approaches of rural areas in various dimensions including economic, social and environmental. It also plays an important role as a leading strategy in the tourism sector. Entrepreneurial programs and activities can have important effects on the dimensions, indicators and different sectors of rural areas and rural tourism destinations resulting in important changes and developments in these destinations. Alamut district situated within Qazvin city, having its rural tourism resources and capabilities along with ecotourism and cultural tourism capacities, is one of the areas that has been associated with tourism growth and entrepreneurial activities in the past decade. The main purpose of this study is to assess the extent and scope of the effects and consequences of entrepreneurship programs on the changes and developments of rural tourism destinations within different dimensions.
Methodology
This research is of applied type and in terms of the nature of data, it is a quantitative-qualitative combined research. For this purpose, first through a series of library and field studies, the set of entrepreneurial activities carried out in the past decade was identified and then the dimensions and indicators of rural tourism destinations in four dimensions of economic, managerial-human, socio-cultural and physical-spatial were identified. The main statistical population of the study was the group of experts including village councils and rural tourism researchers and scholars familiar with the region and the tourism businesses owners. Local people were also examined as a complementary statistical population in terms of quality and theoretical saturation method to complete the information. Data analysis was performed using indicators and statistical analysis alongside with qualitative analysis.
Discussion and Conclusion
The results show limited effects of entrepreneurship on the economic indicators of villages. Entrepreneurship has not been able to have significant effects on any economic indicators and the main effects are moderate and sometimes upward. Also in the socio-cultural dimension, entrepreneurial activities have not been able to make significant changes in the villages of Alamut, and these changes, which have been mainly positive, are limited. Entrepreneurial activities have a relative and moderate impact on the growth of the number of creative people and indigenous or non-indigenous entrepreneurs in rural areas, and to some extent have provided the ground for officials to communicate with entrepreneurs. In the physical-spatial dimension, the effects of entrepreneurship have been positive and negative. The average effects of entrepreneurship on the physical-spatial dimension are at a moderate and relative level. Entrepreneurship has had very little impact only on the level of protection of natural resources, but has had relative effects on the development of rural infrastructure and the level of infrastructure. However, the type of effects in this section is positive and negative. In the study of villages from the perspective of variability of entrepreneurship, Gazerkhan village, Garmarud and Evan village are in the first priority of change. Evan village has faced relative economic and physical-spatial changes due to the existence of Lake Evan and constructions, services and recreational complexes, and the structure of the village as well as the culture of the people and their social relations have been accompanied by changes. In other villages, the effects of entrepreneurship are small and limited, and in fact, entrepreneurship has not been able to make significant changes in these villages.
In generally, the results show that the level of effects and consequences of entrepreneurship on destination changes is mainly at a moderate to high level while the degree of influence of destinations from entrepreneurship programs is relative. In general, the necessary planning should be done to manage the destination in order to prevent potential threats in order to reach the optimal level of development. Although entrepreneurship has caused relative and moderate changes in various dimensions in the tourist villages of Alamut, but these cases do not mean a great change in Alamut tourism and the changes have been very slow and gradual and it cannot be said that there is no particular change in rural tourism has been created. However, although the effects are limited and cannot be considered a change, but since the changes in destinations have been evident over the years, so it can be used as a strategy and program to change tourism in rural destinations in Alamut. Another noteworthy point is that the effects of entrepreneurship on all dimensions are the same and equal, which indicates that the level of entrepreneurial activities due to its limited scope, has not had much difference on different dimensions.
Erfaneh Hosseinzadeh, Ali Shamsoddini, Rabiaz Rabia Ghorbaninejad, Ali Tavakolan,
Volume 10, Issue 37 (12-2021)
Abstract
Introduction
Culinary tourism may have many economic benefits for rural areas. Many practitioners consider this type of tourism as a tool for rural development that can stimulate the local economy and support existing jobs and create new jobs in these areas. Food tourism events have recently become a major means for economic development in villages and local areas. The question of the study is to what extent culinary tourism has been able to be effective in maintaining economic growth and development in the rural areas particularly the north regions of the country and foster the survival and stability of the villages.
Methodology
The present research is applied in terms of purpose and a mix method (qualitative-quantitative) study in terms of data collection. The qualitative part consists of a content analysis and the quantitative part is descriptive-exploratory. The method of data collection is a desk research and a field study using semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire. The research population is also divided into qualitative and quantitative. The research community for the qualitative part comprises the experts of the Tourism and Cultural Heritage Organization, as well as professors on rural planning and development in Mazandaran Province. The characteristics of them were high experience as a manager, knowledge of the research topic, and they were selected in a purposeful and snowball method, so 16 people were selected to achieve a saturation. The statistical population for quantitative part was a limited and included 375 restaurateurs, accommodation owners, hotel owners and experts of the Tourism and Cultural Heritage Organization. 182 of them were randomly selected using the Cochran's formula. Coding was the data analysis tool for qualitative part and Delphi technique was used to design the model in quantitative part. Finally, the model was obtained using the structural equation modeling and PLS Smart software.
Discussion and conclusion
In many countries, food tourism is closely in consistence with agricultural policies and is often deemed as a means to support a sustainable rural economy. When it comes to sustainability in rural development, economic growth and poverty alleviation for villagers along with optimizing the social structure of their communities, which is obtained by equitable distribution of services and promoting sustainable livelihoods. Non-agricultural activity diversification in rural areas accelerates the process of sustainable development, not only economically but also culturally and socially. Since Mazandaran Province is popular tourist destinations in Iran, it has the capability to utilize food as a tourism axis in this province. The present study demonstrates that for the culinary tourism in the studied area, the three categories of marketing, services and planning should be attended. This will result to sustainable income, economic growth and sustainable employment, and ultimately to foster a sustainable economy. All indicators for the model of culinary tourism on sustainable rural economy of Mazandaran were confirmed. These findings show that the aspects of food tourism, sustainable income, economic growth and sustainable employment have been able to form a model for analyzing food tourism in a sustainable rural economy. In conclusion, the aspects of the model and the underling hypothesis were validated.
Javad Madani, Ismail Taghavi Zirvani,
Volume 11, Issue 40 (9-2022)
Abstract
Introduction
The tourism industry has been promoted as a common strategy for the development and reinvention of rural areas, especially in rural areas that have been severely affected by the decline of traditional agriculture. Tourism in rural areas is considered an accelerator of growing economies in both developing and developed economies. The social and economic impacts of rural tourism on individuals and society have been considered important, especially in less developed countries. The development of rural tourism in areas with rich biodiversity has helped local communities achieve their goal of improving livelihoods. Also, rural tourism has helped the local community to increase their income and increase their livelihood significantly. Although the economic benefits of tourism are well accepted, measuring the economic impact of rural tourism on rural areas is often ambiguous, as different approaches provide different results. Therefore, it is important to consider the effects of rural tourism on rural development both economically and in other dimensions. Assessment of the success of rural tourism initiatives that aim to benefit local communities, as well as rural environments, has always been a challenge. Many researchers and scholars of economics and tourism believe that the diversity of key drivers of rural tourism for improving the livelihood of rural households is due to geographical location and subsequent conditions. However, geographical conditions are necessary for the ensuing decisions. Therefore, in this research, the main goal is to identify and prioritize the key drivers of rural tourism in improving the livelihood of rural households. This study considers the potential of rural tourism as a tool to promote and improve rural households' livelihood.
Methodology
The current research is an applied study in terms of its purpose, and the research method used is a mixed method. The research design is exploratory sequential that analyses the qualitative information and then quantitative data. In this research, in the first phase, the qualitative method of thematic analysis was used, and in the second phase, the quantitative survey method was used. In the qualitative phase, the relevant codes were obtained from the semi-structured interviews. The codes were converted into basic themes by the thematic analysis method. In the second phase, these items were prioritized by a quantitative survey method. Thematic analysis analyzes textual data manually through several steps, including data identification, creating initial codes, searching for themes among codes, and reviewing and naming themes. We applied the Attride-Stirling(2001) approach, and the extracted themes were categorized into three "basic, organizing and global" themes.
Discussion and conclusion
According to the findings of this study, the themes extracted from the semi-structured interviews are in the form of 58 basic themes, 19 organizing themes and four global themes. In analyzing the development of rural tourism, it is necessary to pay attention to economic, social, cultural, technological and political factors in order to determine their impact. This way provides measures for the further development of rural tourism. After performing the calculations, it was found that the infrastructure and technological factors have the greatest impact on the development of rural tourism. These factors consist of the development of public and health infrastructure, the increase of recreational facilities for the local community, the creation of high-quality recreational opportunities, and the creation of transportation infrastructure facilities. Although rural tourism has a positive effect on the rural household's livelihood, it may be difficult to rapidly increase the number of tourists to this area in the future because the area is far from the nearest metropolis and also a very competitive rural tourist market is located in Ardabil Province, especially the city of Sarein. This study concludes that public policies are necessary to strengthen basic infrastructure and facilities. The infrastructural and technological benefits of rural tourism include improving infrastructure, protecting these areas and providing the necessary facilities. The main nature of rural tourism development in improving the rural household's livelihood is to reduce the gap in regional development between cities and villages, which is done through career consultancy, improving the well-being of local people in their environment, ensuring optimal standards of quality of life and providing privileges to rural residents. In the present study, rural tourism in areas adjacent to Sarein City was positively and independently related to households' satisfaction with life. The development of rural tourism can also lead to cultural and social changes through development programs. Accordingly, social influences play an important role in tourism development because the host community, represented as local households, interact with tourists directly, and positive cultural influences help support future tourism programs. All in all, the drivers of rural tourism can have positive effects on the livelihood of rural households, including improving the quality of life, improving the economic situation, developing the infrastructure of villages, etc.
Mojgan Ghalami Cheragh Tapeh, Alireza Darban Astaneh, Mohammad Amin Khorasani,
Volume 12, Issue 43 (4-2023)
Abstract
Introduction
Rural tourism is a sustainable form of rural development that utilizes the resources available in rural areas. However, due to geographical isolation and lack of benefits, these areas often have untapped potential. This lack of development prevents strengthening of social and economic foundations within local communities. Regarding tourism planning in certain areas, previous research has focused on identifying important factors and drivers. However, there is a lack of certainty surrounding regional development in the planning process. To address this, planners and scenario writers can use these factors as a control mechanism to map and manage the desired future.
Methodology
The purpose of this research is to create scenarios that will help determine the factors that impact the growth of rural tourism in Urmia County. The study will use the Wizard scenario to identify key variables that contribute to sustainable tourism in the villages within the county. Ultimately, the goal is to develop scenarios that will enhance the feasibility of sustainable rural tourism development. The purpose, application, and type of research method used in this study are descriptive-analytical. The nature of the data collected is qualitative, and the method of data collection is through field research. The questionnaire tool was implemented in two stages, and data analysis was conducted using future research techniques and the Mick Mac software, along with interaction analysis. In general, the working method has been done in two main stages in this research. Twenty professionals with expertise in the subject were selected for a statistical sample. They were provided with a questionnaire to complete. After careful consideration of the experts' opinions and research, it was determined that there are 36 significant indicators in 5 different components: economic (9 indicators), socio-cultural (8 indicators), managerial (7 indicators), natural (8 indicators), and infrastructure (4 indicators). During this study, it was found that out of the 36 indicators examined, several key factors drive tourism development in the rural regions of Urmia County.
Discussion and Conclusion
In this study, we created scenarios by considering critical uncertainties, predetermined drivers, and the impact of key obstacles. The result of this process was three scenarios. One scenario depicts a promising and favorable situation, another is static and intermediate, and the third portrays a critical and undesirable situation. Out of the three scenarios, scenario number two has the most favorable conditions for tourism in the villages of Urmia County. This scenario is considered the best because all possible situations are desirable. Out of the 36 possible situations, 16.6% are critical, 11.11% are relatively critical or on the brink of a crisis, 13.88% are relatively favorable, and 58.33% are very good. 27.77% faced unfavorable circumstances, while 72.23% had favorable ones. The second scenario is the most optimal, as all the crucial factors are at their best. This scenario comprises seven highly desirable situations, two moderately desirable ones, one on the brink of crisis, and two critical situations. In Scenario No. 1, there are several possible states. Seven of these states are ideal, one is good, one is risky, and two are critical. The factors in this scenario are stable. Five situations are entirely positive, three that are somewhat positive, one that is risky, and three that are critical. In these critical situations, the key factors are likely unfavorable compared to their desired state.
After analyzing the potential outcomes in three categories - favorable, static, and undesirable -, it is clear that the strong research scenarios lead to more favorable conditions than any other category. These scenarios provide a promising future for tourism in the villages of Urmia. By acknowledging the strengths and limitations present, better planning for rural tourism in Urmia can be achieved. Improving this trend will have a direct and indirect positive impact on the future development of tourism in the region
Morteza Khazaipol, Banafshe Farahani, Masoume Izadinia,
Volume 12, Issue 43 (4-2023)
Abstract
Introduction
According to the World Tourism Organization, all activities a person does while traveling and in a place outside his product environment, provided that his trip does not last more than one year and its purpose is recreation, business, or other activities, are considered tourism. The third generation of tourism, creative tourism, emerged after the first two stages of coastal and historical-cultural tourism. Creative tourism offers a more sustainable option that allows tourists to discover their potential by taking part in courses and experiences unique to the region they visit.
For a more immersive experience in rural tourism, it is recommended that tourists stay in local rural houses rather than hotels. This allows them to become fully immersed in the area's culture and way of life and to interact with the people who have built it over time. By doing so, they can gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the values and traditions that make this place unique. This study investigates how creative tourism can boost tourism and development in an overlooked region. Despite having many attractions, this area has not been thoroughly explored. This research aims to promote this unexplored region as a desirable tourist spot for both domestic and foreign visitors. It emphasizes the need to implement creative tourism initiatives to highlight the potential of this region.
Methodology
In terms of the purpose of this research, it is practical. In terms of data collection, this research is descriptive-survey type. The theoretical basis of the research was collected from books, dissertations, publications, and academic articles in Persian and English. For this study, the target group is people over 20 years old and living in the researched area. The study was conducted during the summer of 2021 and only included those who lived in the village. A questionnaire was completed by individuals over 20 years old and present in the community during the data collection period. The sampling method used was the available method. In this way, in the morning and afternoon of non-holiday days, during three consecutive weeks of July 2021, by visiting homes and explaining the research, questionnaires were presented to people over 20 years old and collected after filling. Two hundred and five questionnaires were distributed and collected. In compiling the questionnaire, we tried to include all the variables needed for the research. The number of inquiries was kept to a minimum, and the responses were uncomplicated to ensure that the villagers could provide prompt answers.
Results and conclusion
In order to conclude from the topics investigated in this research, what can be mentioned in this part is the impact and importance of creative tourism on the development and attraction of tourists in rural areas. The residents accepted all five components of creative tourism with an impact percentage of over 90%, which indicates the significant influence of creative tourism on the development and attraction of tourists. All the respondents agreed with the category of creative tourism in the village and considered the historical, cultural, and artistic background as the reasons for this agreement. They are interested in the development of tourism in this sector and stated that the framework of tourism in this sector is fundamental and insignificant. Expanding tourism and attracting more visitors can benefit the locals and help promote their culture. However, to support the growth of tourism, it is important to have the necessary infrastructure, such as communication networks, water, and electricity. Planning for tourism has facilitated the development of rural settlements, providing access to these essential amenities. This has also led to part-time and seasonal employment opportunities for the villagers, which can lead to a boom in production and economic activities in the village and, ultimately, the development of tourism in the village. Essentially, this approach can promote rural communities' financial and population consistency through thoughtful planning that considers local conditions. It is recommended that government officials prioritize this industry by establishing the appropriate infrastructure to encourage investment and appointing skilled and effective leaders who can foster creativity and attract tourism development. In rural areas, people strongly emphasize balancing work and family commitments. We can support both cultural and economic prosperity by promoting family and group businesses and encouraging entrepreneurship among women. This can also attract more tourists to the village. It is also possible to provide a suitable platform to attract tourists by holding cultural and artistic exhibitions in the village, taking care of the appearance and landscape, advertising, and creating local markets to offer products and handicrafts.
Nahid Isa Nejad, Ali Akbar Najafi Kani , Alireza Khajeh Shakooei,
Volume 12, Issue 43 (4-2023)
Abstract
Introduction
Today, one of the country's tourism patterns is second homes tourism, often common in mountainous regions with mild regions. The second homes are primarily located in spectacular areas, recreational places, and on the outskirts of large and medium-sized cities. Rural tourism is a reliable source of income in many countries and has an increasing impact on improving rural households' economic and physical situation. The current study investigates the consequences of second homes tourism in mountainous villages near the metropolis of Tehran.
Researchers believe that households living elsewhere buy or rent second homes. Such homes are usually located in rural areas and are used for recreational purposes and are also called weekend homes and holiday homes.
Second homes usually have four characteristics:
- A private home that family and guests often use on weekends and holidays.
-A private home that is alternately used as a holiday home.
- It is often purchased for retirement periods but is also used as a commercial property.
- Used as holiday homes, commercially as an investment, and usually by an agency.
Methodology
This study is applied with a descriptive and field descriptive method. According to the 1395 census, the statistical population of the current study is rural households living in 9 villages, totaling 5554 persons. 310 villages were chosen as the sample community using the Cochran algorithm, and data were analyzed using correlation analysis, Friedman, Kruskalvalis, and Linear regression in SPSS software.
Shemiranat is one of the counties of Tehran Province, considered an excellent tourism region of Iran, and consists of two districts: Lavasanat and Rudbar-e Qasran. According to the census of 2016, Rudbar-e Qasran District has a population of 17419. The Qasran Bastani region includes Oushan, Fasham, Darbandsar, Gajereh, and the villages at the foothill of Tochal to the western areas of the Jajrud River. Contrary to many peoples’ beliefs, the language of the people of Rudbar-e Qasran District in most neighborhoods, especially Meygun, Shahrestanak, Lalan, Zayegan, Ruteh, Garmabdar, Shemshak, and Darbandsar, is Mazandarani.
Discussion and conclusion
The results of Chi-square, Spearman, and Kendall correlation analysis demonstrate that the construction of second homes has a substantial association with a 99 percent confidence level with physical changes in villages and improved economic indicators. Friedman's findings also rank the most effective elements in recruiting tourists and increasing second houses. Kruskal-Wallis's findings reveal that second-home tourism affects all communities analyzed in terms of physical and economic characteristics and that they are all similar. The results of the linear regression test reveal that, depending on the variables evaluated, the investigated components are acceptable and significant. The coefficient of determination indicates that around 95% of the development is determined by the variables analyzed, with only about 5% depending on variables not discovered in this study.
The second homes are part of the tourism industry, which aims to use and introduce natural, cultural, historical, and other resources in the region to tourists to create opportunities for tourism development, which creates business in rural areas. Second homes can also be considered a potential product that elevates the level of society and puts the country in the tourism industry.
In this regard, sustainable tourism emerged as the only solution to save nature and human beings. From this perspective, the paradigm of sustainable tourism examines tourism across borders. The tourism industry creates a triangular relationship between the host community, their territory, and the guest community (tourists). The goal is to alleviate any pressure or crises that may arise and achieve a long-term balance between all three parties.
Mitra Mohamadi, Fateh Habibi, Saman Ghaderi,
Volume 13, Issue 49 (11-2024)
Abstract
Objective: The experience of many developed countries highlights that tourism development is a fundamental driver of national growth and should be prioritized accordingly. This research aims to investigate the impact of tourism on sustainable rural livelihoods in Kurdistan Province by comparing two groups: tourism-oriented villages and non-tourism villages.
Method: This study adopts a quasi-experimental design, comparing data from tourism and non-tourism villages. A questionnaire was employed to gather the necessary information. Using Cochran's formula, the sample size was determined to be 350 households, consisting of 203 heads of households from tourism villages and 147 heads of households from non-tourism villages. Participants were selected randomly. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and Excel software, with the reliability of the questionnaire confirmed by a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.82.
Results:
1. Livelihood Conditions: The one-sample t-test revealed that the five livelihood capitals (human, social, physical, natural, and financial) in both groups of villages were below average and in poor condition.
2. Comparison of Capitals: An independent t-test showed that the average human and social capital and total investment were significantly higher in tourism villages compared to non-tourism villages.
3. Livelihood Strategies: A Friedman test identified the key livelihood activities in each group:
- Tourism Villages: Gardening. Agriculture, Local food sales, Handicraft sales, Home rentals, Sales of local dairy products, and Sales of local clothing.
- Non-Tourism Villages: Gardening, Agriculture, Local dairy product sales, Animal husbandry, and Labor.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate a significant difference between tourism and non-tourism villages in terms of livelihood capitals: human, social, physical, natural, financial, and total. The average levels of human capital, social capital, and overall livelihood assets were higher in tourism villages. These results underscore the positive role of tourism in enhancing sustainable rural livelihoods, particularly by diversifying income sources and strengthening human and social capital. Prioritizing tourism development in rural areas can thus contribute to broader economic and social improvements.
Amin Faal Jalali, Maryam Ghasemi,
Volume 13, Issue 49 (11-2024)
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to investigate the impact of utilizing smart capabilities on improving rural tourism and addressing rural challenges in the target villages of Khorasan Razavi Province.
Method
The study’s statistical population comprised 261 tourists who either traveled to the villages or used virtual platforms to plan their visits. Due to the dispersed nature of the statistical population, a snowball sampling method was employed to select the sample. Data were collected through a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS software, applying statistical tests. Additionally, to examine the impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) on the development of smart tourism in the studied villages, the PLS (Partial Least Squares) model was utilized.
Results
The findings indicate that existing tourism capacities have a direct and significant impact on the development of smart tourism. Among the evaluated components, smart transportation emerged as the most influential. Key aspects of smart transportation include online and offline routing, route traffic information, interstate services, and other related benefits. Following smart transportation, communication tools were identified as the second most effective component in fostering smart tourism. These tools include email, telephone, internet sites, and participation in messaging platforms or channels.
Additionally, the smart environment was found to play a significant role in the development of smart tourism. Features of the smart environment include the availability of robust antenna networks, internet connectivity at the village level, electronic banking services, and similar infrastructural advancements.
Conclusion
The results demonstrate that the average indicators related to virtual facilities in the studied villages exceed normal values. This indicates that the villages possess the necessary infrastructural and human resources to support the development of smart tourism. Furthermore, the analysis confirms that rural smart capabilities have a measurable impact on the advancement of smart tourism in the region.