Tourism planning
Hojjat Varmazyari; Marziye Fathi; Khalil Kalantari
Abstract
Community-Based Tourism (CBT) can help improve the economic and social conditions of local communities, but there are various obstacles. This research aims to identify and analyze the obstacles to local community participation in the development of CBT in rural areas. This investigation has been conducted ...
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Community-Based Tourism (CBT) can help improve the economic and social conditions of local communities, but there are various obstacles. This research aims to identify and analyze the obstacles to local community participation in the development of CBT in rural areas. This investigation has been conducted in nine villages in the Sarvabad and Marivan Counties of Kurdistan Province, Iran, which are recognized for their significant tourism potential. A total of 40 participants were selected using the theoretical saturation criterion, and semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather in-depth insights. Data coding ultimately segmented the identified barriers into nine categories, including: (1) the exogenous management of rural tourism projects coupled with limited villager involvement; (2) the absence of a monitoring system and the inadequate transmission of management information and supporting evidence to decision-makers; (3) perceived cultural disparities alongside associated negative impacts; and (4) fragile internal organizational structures within the villages. By identifying the aforementioned barriers, this research can help policymakers and researchers make better decisions for the development of CBT in rural areas.
Tourism planning
Davood Jamini; Farhad Javan; Ramin Atashbahar
Abstract
The main goal of the present research is to conduct an applied study on the use of machine learning algorithms as a subset of artificial intelligence and to compare their performance in locating eco-camps for tourism, which was conducted as a case study in the Shamshir tourism sample area. In order to ...
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The main goal of the present research is to conduct an applied study on the use of machine learning algorithms as a subset of artificial intelligence and to compare their performance in locating eco-camps for tourism, which was conducted as a case study in the Shamshir tourism sample area. In order to achieve the main goal of the research, ten criteria (altitude, slope, slope direction, distance from the fault, angle of solar radiation, distance from the waste landfill, land use, distance from the river, distance from the road, and distance from the village and facilities) were used. The required data was extracted from various sources such as satellite images, OSM site, and digital elevation models, and initial data processing was performed in Arc GIS Pro software. Two algorithms, RF and GTB, and GIS software were used to analyze the data. The overall results of the research indicate the remarkable accuracy.
Tourism planning
Seyed Mostafa Kazemi; Laleh Salehi; Feyzallah Monavvarifard
Abstract
Responsible tourism is an effective strategy for achieving sustainable development goals, reducing poverty, and ultimately improving the quality of life for residents in rural areas. However, the various aspects of responsible tourism may have varying effects on residents’ quality of life, a topic ...
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Responsible tourism is an effective strategy for achieving sustainable development goals, reducing poverty, and ultimately improving the quality of life for residents in rural areas. However, the various aspects of responsible tourism may have varying effects on residents’ quality of life, a topic that has received limited research attention. This study investigates the relationship between key dimensions of responsible tourism (i.e., economic, social, and environmental) and various aspects of residents’ quality of life (i.e., economy, well-being, social cohesion, and environmental satisfaction) in rural tourist destinations within Khorramabad County (population: 20,750). Power analysis using linear regression with three independent variables and an estimated power of 0.98 determined a sample size of 254 residents. The sample was selected through proportional cluster sampling from two rural districts, “Markazi” and “Papi.” Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire, and its validity and reliability were confirmed using Cronbach's alpha, average variance extracted (AVE), and composite reliability. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27 and Smart-PLS 4.01. The findings revealed that the three dimensions of responsible tourism have different effects on various aspects of residents’ quality of life in tourism destinations. Specifically, the physical quality of life was positively and significantly influenced only by the economic responsibility of tourists (γ=0.853; P-value=0.00), while the social (γ=0.027; P-value=0.49) and environmental (γ=0.090; P-value=0.07) dimensions did not have a significant impact. Ultimately, the results of the study provide an empirically controlled framework for rural development planning through the promotion of responsible tourism.
Tourism planning
Nastaran Nasiri; Reza Moradpour
Abstract
As a key component of ecotourism, ecolodges play a crucial role in achieving its objectives. This research aims to investigate the impact of the architecture of ecolodges on tourists' satisfaction and loyalty in North Khorasan province. Employing a survey and correlation strategy with a quantitative ...
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As a key component of ecotourism, ecolodges play a crucial role in achieving its objectives. This research aims to investigate the impact of the architecture of ecolodges on tourists' satisfaction and loyalty in North Khorasan province. Employing a survey and correlation strategy with a quantitative approach, this study examines a population of ecotourists in North Khorasan, with a sample size of 128. The findings reveal that the median values for all variables were significantly lower than the expected median, highlighting a gap between tourists' experiences and their expectations. Furthermore, all architectural elements and features of the accommodations, except one variable, showed a significant positive relationship with satisfaction, desire to return, and desire to recommend the accommodations to others. Women reported significantly lower average scores for some variables compared to men. Moreover, the average scores varied significantly across different education levels and travel types.
Tourism planning
Fatemeh Kazemiyeh
Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to investigate the attitude of the residents of the region towards tourism and the factors affecting this attitude based on the theory of social exchange. The present study has investigated the attitude and support of the beneficiaries of tourism. In terms of the research ...
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The main purpose of this study was to investigate the attitude of the residents of the region towards tourism and the factors affecting this attitude based on the theory of social exchange. The present study has investigated the attitude and support of the beneficiaries of tourism. In terms of the research method, this study is a descriptive-correlation and applied type of research that uses structural equation modeling and has been carried out using the causal-relational method and covariance-variance matrix analysis. In terms of the method of collecting and receiving information, this research is in the field of field studies. The statistical population of the research was the heads of households (local people) in the villages of East Azerbaijan province in Iran. According to the investigations carried out by the organizations in charge of rural tourism in East Azerbaijan Province, such as the Tourism and Cultural Heritage Organization and the Islamic Revolution Housing Foundation, as well as field observations, 20 villages were selected as sample villages, and the total number of households in this the number of villages was estimated to be 4669. Using Cochran's relationship, the number of 355 heads of households from local people was selected as the statistical sample of the study. In this study, a multi-stage sampling method was used. Based on this, first of all, the studied villages were selected from the rural areas of East Azarbaijan province, taking into account a series of defining characteristics and indicators, including the presence of national and international registered works, the presence of a traditional texture, or a special architectural style, or a cultural ceremony. A number of 20 villages were selected as sample villages, and then a stratified sampling method with proportional allocation was used. In the final stage, through the use of a simple random sampling method, the head of the household was visited in person, the necessary information was collected, and the questionnaire was completed. Became Average Variance Extracted (AVE) was used to determine the validity of the measurement tool. The results showed the validity of the measurement tool (0.74-0.97). Composite reliability was used to determine the reliability of the research tool. The results showed the reliability of the measurement tool (0.93-0.99). The results of residents' opinions about causal relationships between tourism development variables indicated that a positive and significant causal relationship between personal benefit and understanding the positive effects of tourism, between personal benefit and satisfaction, between understanding the positive effects of tourism and satisfaction, between understanding There have been positive effects of tourism and support for tourism development, between satisfaction and support for tourism development. There is a negative and significant causal relationship between personal benefit and understanding the negative effects of tourism, understanding the negative effects of tourism, and satisfaction between understanding the negative effects and supporting the development of tourism. The results of the study, while confirming the theory of social exchange, determined what structures in support of tourism development should be considered in tourism development planning.IntroductionThe participation of people in society is often considered one of the most necessary factors in national development. Also, in the matter of tourism, the support and participation of the local community are very decisive in the field of destination management planning and achieving written planning so that both the host community and the guest community are completely satisfied. Based on this, the support and participation of the host community in the sustainable development of tourism is important and necessary. In line with the development of tourism in different destinations, the way of life of the host community may be affected by structural changes in the tourism industry. Factors such as changes in the local economy, social changes, cultural changes, and environmental changes in a tourism destination can be mentioned in the results of tourism development. Therefore, planning for tourism in rural areas should be based on the goals and priorities of the residents.Materials and MethodsThe main purpose of this study was to investigate the attitude of the residents of the region towards tourism and the factors affecting this attitude based on the theory of social exchange. The present study has investigated the attitude and support of the beneficiaries of tourism. In terms of the research method, this study is a descriptive-correlation and applied type of research that uses structural equation modeling and has been carried out using the causal-relational method and covariance-variance matrix analysis. In terms of the method of collecting and receiving information, this research is in the field of field studies. The statistical population of the research was the heads of households (local people) in the villages of East Azerbaijan province in Iran. According to the investigations carried out by the organizations in charge of rural tourism in East Azerbaijan Province, such as the Tourism and Cultural Heritage Organization and the Islamic Revolution Housing Foundation, as well as field observations, 20 villages were selected as sample villages, and the total number of households in this the number of villages was estimated to be 4669. Using Cochran's relationship, the number of 355 heads of households from local people was selected as the statistical sample of the study. In this study, a multi-stage sampling method was used. Based on this, first of all, the studied villages were selected from the rural areas of East Azarbaijan province, taking into account a series of defining characteristics and indicators, including the presence of national and international registered works, the presence of a traditional texture, or a special architectural style, or a cultural ceremony. A number of 20 villages, were selected as sample villages and then a stratified sampling method with proportional allocation was used. In the final stage, through the use of a simple random sampling method, the head of the household was visited in person, the necessary information was collected, and the questionnaire was completed. Became Average Variance Extracted (AVE) was used to determine the validity of the measurement tool. The results showed the validity of the measurement tool (0.74-0.97). Composite reliability was used to determine the reliability of the research tool. The results showed the reliability of the measurement tool (0.93-0.99).Discussion and ResultsThe opinions of residents regarding causal relationships between tourism development variables indicate that: There has been a positive and significant causal relationship between personal benefit and understanding the positive effects of tourism. There has been a negative and significant causal relationship between personal benefit and understanding the adverse effects of tourism.A positive and significant causal relationship has existed between personal benefit and satisfaction.4There has been a positive and significant causal relationship between understanding the positive effects of tourism and satisfaction. There has been a negative and significant causal relationship between understanding the adverse effects of tourism and satisfaction.6. A positive and significant causal relationship has existed between understanding tourism’s positive effects and supporting tourism’s development.7. There has been a positive and significant causal relationship between satisfaction and support for tourism development.A negative and significant causal relationship has existed between understanding the adverse effects and supporting tourism development.Conclusions While confirming the theory of social exchange, the study’s results determined what structures are included in supporting the development of tourism that should be considered in planning the development of tourism. Overall, this study confirms the relationship between personal benefit from tourism and residents' understanding of the effects of tourism and their support for tourism development in the study area, and residents have a great desire to get involved and participate in tourism development programs. Promoting positive effects, reducing adverse effects, and educating of the local community can significantly affect their attitude and increase their support for tourism development.
Marketing economics
Nima Khademi; Abbas Abbasi; Kazem Askarifar
Abstract
Local event tourism is one of the types of tourism that can play an essential role in the sustainable economic and social development of communities. However, this issue has received less attention. Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival is one of these events held every year in the spring season. This ...
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Local event tourism is one of the types of tourism that can play an essential role in the sustainable economic and social development of communities. However, this issue has received less attention. Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival is one of these events held every year in the spring season. This study aims to identify the factors that attract tourists to this event. For this purpose, the factors attracting tourists to the events were extracted by qualitative content analysis and then the tourists' opinions. Finally, a conceptual framework ofinfluencing factors on customers' tendencies, including 50 indicators in 15 components, was presented. Also, the quantitative analysis of Q data shows that accessibility, hospitality, and spending time with friends were essential for the first group of tourists, social interactions and event quality were necessary for the second group, patriotic and learning motives were important for the third group, and experience and enjoyment of the event were necessary for the fourth group. At the same time, natural attractions and enjoyment of the festival environment have been essential for all tourists, and these results can be a basis for formulating marketing strategies for local tourism events.IntroductionDuring the last two decades, the tourism industry has increasingly strengthened the local economy due to its high diversity and convenient access. In addition, the development of the tourism industry causes benefits such as increasing the employment and income of residents, improving transportation, and, most importantly, protecting the cultural heritage of local communities. One of the types of tourism is event tourism, which has grown significantly in recent years. Event tourism is a form of travel with special interests in which people visit a special event to attend or along with their trip. One of the important products in tourism development has been an event in the form of cultural festivals. In this regard, local festivals as a branch of cultural events are considered one of travelers’ actions in rural areas. On the other hand, due to its various natural, historical, and cultural attractions, Iran is considered one of the most capable countries in the world for organizing such events. For this reason, practical steps can be taken toward the successful development of this type of tourism by more closely examining the events and festivals held in the country. One of these local festivals is the Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival, held every year at the beginning of the rose-picking season for one month in the Meymand Fars region. In this regard, it will be beneficial to identify the effective factors in attracting tourists to this annual local event, to get a more detailed understanding of the affairs and a deeper understanding of the social, cultural, and economic realities of the region and to plan for the sustainable development of this region. However, this issue has received less attention despite its clarity and necessity. On this subject, the current research seeks to identify the indicators and components influencing the tendency of tourists to visit rural events by using the qualitative content analysis method and providing a conceptual framework of these factors. Then, by analyzing the data of Meymand Flower and Rose Festival tourists based on the conceptual model, the types of tourists of this local event were identified.Materials and MethodsThis research aims to identify the factors that attract event tourists to local festivals using the Q method in Meymand Flower and Rose Festival, Fars. In terms of purpose, this research is practical, and according to the approach and type of data, it can be categorized as mixed research. The current research was carried out in 2023 in Fars province regarding time and place. In this research, first, the qualitative content analysis method with a directional approach has been used to identify and determine the existing indicators. Then, to know the mentality of participants in the Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival and collect data (using the Q method), all the customers who participated in this festival in 2023 were studied.Discussion and ResultsIn the first step, based on the content analysis of the screened studies, the researchers reviewed the final studies several times to determine titles or themes. At this stage, the researchers identified the factors affecting tourists' tendency towards events. Since some words had the same meaning, the necessary overlaps were made, and some indicators were removed. In the next step, the content validity ratio of Lawshe was used to check the validity of indicators in rural tourism. After this step, the number of 50 indicators was finalized and categorized into 15 concepts. Then, in the quantitative part, the data obtained from the Q factor analysis methodology was used to identify and extract the mentality of tourists. For this purpose, the tourists' opinions about the factors affecting their attendance at the Meymand Flower and Rose Festival 2023 were collected. With exploratory factor analysis, the participants were selected based on the shared values and the role of the data in explaining the total explanatory variance, and finally, the Varimax rotation divided the rest into four groups after removing 30 of them.ConclusionsIn this research, an attempt was made to use a mixed approach; firstly, with the help of qualitative content analysis, the indicators and components of local festivals were identified, and then the mentality of the tourists of Meymand Fars Flower and Rose Festival was extracted as a study. Finally, a conceptual framework of influencingfactors on customers' tendencies, including 50 indicators in 15 components, was presented. Then, based on the results of the quantitative method, four groups of customers were identified in Meymand Rose and Rose Festival. Enjoying nature, weather, and flowers and plants are among the motivations that are common among all four groups; in other words, it was the common feature of all visitors to this festival. However, in the separated groups, the factors have a significant dispersion.In the first group, the three factors of accessibility, hospitality of the destination, and spending time with friends are among the unique factors that have attracted them to this festival. This group constituted almost 37 percent of the participants in the research.The second group, which included almost 27 percent of the sample of festival tourists, with a sense of loyalty to the event and satisfaction, considers this festival a platform for social interactions and feels a sense of national pride by attending it.The third group is attracted to this festival with patriotic motives and the aim of learning, excitement, and making memories, and the festival’s popularity has been one of the main reasons for them. Finally, the fourth group of this festival has chosen a suitable place for photography and a space to enjoy holidays and relaxation with the intention of diversity in experience.In this context, the most significant difference between the present research and the previous studies is related to the classification of factors affecting the tendency of tourists, so that in none of the mentioned researches, the factors influencing the attraction of event tourists to local festivals have not been reported in a comprehensive category.Therefore, it is recommended to relevant provincial and national policymakers and patriot service providers to pay attention to the extracted effective indicators as the most key factors in their service strategy by recognizing the important characteristics of each category of tourists.
Tourism planning
Zahra Soleymani; Hamdollah Sojasi qedari; Hamid Shayan; Siamak Seyfi
Abstract
While traveling, tourists are looking for memorable experiences, and often, their decisions are influenced by the experiences they have gained from the destination. ZMET cognitive approach was used to extract memorable experiences of tourists from rural destinations. Based on theoretical saturation, ...
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While traveling, tourists are looking for memorable experiences, and often, their decisions are influenced by the experiences they have gained from the destination. ZMET cognitive approach was used to extract memorable experiences of tourists from rural destinations. Based on theoretical saturation, an interview was conducted with 35 tourists who had traveled to the villages of Mashhad, Neyshabur, and Torghabe - Shandiz counties and had more than 83 mental involvements with these destinations. Nine originator constructs and 11 destination constructs were extracted; the most frequent originator construct was the "natural landscape of the village," which created memorable experiences like "silence and peace," "feeling of freshness and liberation," and "pleasantness" in tourists. The theoretical literature on memorable experiences from rural destinations is very limited, so this study provides a new understanding regarding the formation of memorable experiences from rural destinations, which managers of rural destinations use to attract more tourists and loyalty.IntroductionTourists are looking for different tourism experiences by presence in rural areas. Experiences are not like products and services that are produced and distributed in the outside world, but are created individually. They are simultaneously created in the depths of the mind as a result of interaction with the surrounding environment. Since the existence of rural tourism destinations depends on the presence of tourists. Therefore, if rural tourism destinations can design and provide memorable and attractive experiences for them through identifying and understanding their customers' needs, they will achieve development. In general, understanding and enhancing the positive and memorable experiences of tourists is considered as a competitive advantage in the contemporary tourism market. For this reason, memorable tourism experiences are necessary for the sustainability and competitiveness of rural destinations. Also, experiences affect tourists' future decisions. If rural tourism destinations can offer memorable tourism experiences to visitors, it will significantly influence the consumer's behavioral intention to revisit or recommend the destination to others.Materials and MethodsThe research method of this study is a set of descriptive-analytical methods. In terms of purpose, it is practical and a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. In order to identify the memorable experiences of tourists in the studied rural areas, Zaikovsky's questionnaire and then the ZMET method were used. For this purpose, 35 tourists who traveled to the tourist villages of Mashhad, Neyshabur and Torghabe- Shandiz cities and had more than 83 mental involvements with these destinations based on the Zaykovsky questionnaire, were interviewed by the ZMET method.Discussion and ResultsIn general, 7 basic structures were identified in tourist villages, which can be effective in creating memorable experiences among tourists. These 7 structures include the natural landscape of the village, healthy products, local culture, traditional architecture, adventure and physical activity, interaction and cooperation, and deficiencies and damages. Each of these basic structures has several connecting structures that ultimately lead to final structures or memorable experiences. Finally, 11 memorable experiences that include silence and peace, fresh and liberated feeling, enjoyable, new flavors, unique lifestyle, exploration and learning, nostalgic feeling, exciting, being unique, involving and participation, and being uncomfortable is extracted. All sample tourists pointed to the basic structure of the natural and pristine landscape of the villages and mentioned 6 connecting structures for this structure, which ultimately led to 3 memorable experiences, namely silence and peace, freshness and liberation feeling, and enjoyable. The basic structure of traditional architecture with a frequency of 32 is another frequent structure that is led by 6 connecting structures to a nostalgic feeling as another memorable experience for tourists from rural destinations. The third most frequent construct with a frequency of 18 is local culture. This structure includes 12 connecting structures that ultimately lead to a unique lifestyle experience and exploration and learning in them.ConclusionsExperiences are the main product of tourism, which are formed individually and in the tourist's mind, which cannot be interfered with and are specific to each person. But it is possible to influence the formation of these experiences through basic actions and planning in tourism destinations. In fact, providing attractive, diverse and memorable experiences makes a rural destination have the ability to compete in the tourism market and is considered as a fundamental factor that can lead to the success and innovation of this industry. The experiences that tourists gain from rural tourism destinations have a great impact on their future behavioral intentions and, as a result, on the development of rural tourism destinations. Based on this, in the present study, 10 positive memorable experiences were extracted through interviews with 35 tourists who had traveled to the studied rural tourism areas, which include peace and silence, freshness and liberation feeling, pleasantness, new flavors, unique lifestyle, exploring and learning, nostalgic feeling, excitement, uniqueness and involvement and participation. In addition to these experiences, negative memorable experiences have also been mentioned by tourists, which include discomfort and sadness as a result of shortages and damages in rural areas. Considering the many capabilities that rural areas have in the field of tourism, they can offer many experiences to tourists. The results and findings of the present research can have a significant impact on the expansion of literature in the field of memorable experiences of tourists from rural tourism destinations. Also, the findings of the research can be used by managers and planners of rural tourism in knowing the experiences and views of tourists from rural destinations, who can provide a suitable environment for tourists to have memorable and attractive experiences when traveling to rural destinations.
