نوع مقاله : مقاله علمی پژوهشی
نویسنده
دانشیار جغرافیا و برنامه ریزی روستایی، دانشگاه پیام نور، تهران، ایران
چکیده
کلیدواژهها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسنده [English]
Specialized ecotourism plays a pivotal role in promoting sustainable rural development. Despite its significant natural and cultural potentials, Zrivar Wetland faces various structural and managerial challenges, limiting the development of nature-based tourism in the region. Accordingly, systematically identifying the current conditions and barriers to specialized ecotourism is essential for effective planning and policy formulation.This applied study adopts a comprehensive mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative and qualitative techniques to examine the status of nature-based specialized tourism along the Zrivar Wetland tourism axis. Data collection involved structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and meticulous field observations. The study population consisted of academic experts, local informants, development authorities, and tourism practitioners, selected purposively to ensure relevant insights. In the qualitative phase, grounded theory was employed to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the current situation and diagnose the stagnation of tourism development in the area. In the quantitative phase, path analysis was applied to validate qualitative findings. Furthermore, the prioritization of target villages for tourism development was conducted using the TOPSIS technique based on a Delphi expert consensus.The results indicate that the development of specialized ecotourism in the Zrivar Wetland area is at a “low” to “very low” level. Institutional deficiencies and limited financial resources emerged as the most significant barriers, followed by weaknesses in planning, policymaking, and management, inadequate infrastructure and services, socio-cultural limitations, insufficient education and promotion, and the influence of border security management. Path analysis revealed that institutional inefficiencies (0/547) and financial constraints (0/433) exert the greatest impact on the persistence of unfavorable tourism conditions.Based on the TOPSIS analysis, Yengijeh Village was identified as the main target and central hub for nature-based tourism development among the designated villages. These findings provide a strategic foundation for addressing existing challenges and advancing specialized ecotourism in the Zrivar Wetland region.
کلیدواژهها [English]
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