Analysis of residents’ perception of smart governance components in rural tourism destinations

Mirzaei Rezgh Abad, Zahra; Ghasemi, Maryam; Kharazmi, Omidali

doi:10.22054/tms.2026.89943.3141

Analysis of residents’ perception of smart governance components in rural tourism destinations

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Zahra Mirzaei rezgh abad ¹

Maryam Ghasemi ²

Omidali Kharazmi ²

¹ Ph.D. Student, Department of Geography, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Mashhad, Iran.

² Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Mashhad, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22054/tms.2026.89943.3141

Abstract

Governance plays a vital and determining role in achieving the smart development of rural tourism destinations. Effective governance not only guides policies, programs, and macro-level decision-making, but also ensures social justice, institutional transparency, and the efficiency of executive processes toward sustainable and smart development of rural tourism destinations. Accordingly, the present study aims to contribute new insights to the emerging field of smart tourism destination governance by analyzing residents’ perceptions of smart governance components in rural tourism destinations. The research employed a descriptive–analytical method. Ten tourism-targeted villages in Qom province were investigated. Data were collected through a survey method using a researcher-made questionnaire. The current status of the “level of smart governance in rural tourism destinations” was quantitatively assessed based on the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) model, encompassing eight dimensions and 33 indicators measured on a Likert scale.

Keywords

smart governance

rural tourism destinations

Qom province

ESCAP model

Subjects