Solutions for the development of geotourism in Firouzkoh (case study of Vashi Gorge)

Dissertation for Master's Degree

Field: Natural Geography, Major: Tourism Planning

This research, using a descriptive and analytical method with practical objectives, deals with the solutions for the development of geotourism in the Vashi Gorge of the Jalizjand basin of Firozkoh city, and the method of collecting information is in the form of library, document and field. The virgin nature and the presence of the Vashi Gorge promenade in itself and its proximity to Tehran are of considerable importance. So many people visit this area every year. The recreational environment of this basin consists of two parts, which are: - Natural areas such as Vashi Gorge, mountains, green valleys, springs, etc. which exists in a pristine form in nature.

- In this area, there are very few recreational areas created by humans and made by humans, such as parks, restaurants, museums, etc., while the villages around the studied area have a very impressive position to attract tourists due to their proximity to Tehran. By creating light and seasonal restaurants, hostels, convenient camping sites around the Vashi Gorge and the asphalt road leading to this place, and finally presenting tourist attractions through written advertisements and television teasers, on the one hand, a suitable resort can be provided to visitors, and on the other hand, significant income can be earned for the residents of this village and the surrounding villages. In total, different forms of rocky outcrops, gravel and limestone cliffs, parallel, comb and pseudo-tree drainage patterns, mass movements such as landslides, landslides and rockfalls, various surface erosion faces, grooves, ditches, karstic, river and massifs, various forms of gravel, passes and tofuqgahs and avalanches, especially in the slopes of White Water and Rakhesh mountains and Shahtepe and spectacular natural areas are among the things that can be very effective in the development of tourism and geotourism in the Firozkoh basin and Vashi Gorge.

Key words: solution, development, geotourism, Vashi Gorge, Firozkoh

Nowadays, with the growing population and pollution of cities, natural areas with a clean and peaceful environment receive a huge amount of travelers. who come out of their homes to pass the time. Geotourism is a subcategory of sustainable tourism and its purpose is to preserve tourism resources in destinations. It means guiding tourists in such a way that the visited place remains the same and can be used for future generations. Geotourism has made it possible for researchers and operators to improve the environment and improve the quality of the visit so that human intervention in the earth leads to showing a special and new prominence of nature. In geotourism, the effort is to prevent interference and capture by humans in the environment, but inevitably, if an action is taken, this action must lead to perfection in nature. The creation of change should not be incompatible with the environment and transform the face of the region (Rahimpour, 1381).

Tengeh Vashi or Tengeh Savashi is a place with tourist attractions, which is located about 17 km from Firozkouh city, and with suitable weather in summers, it hosts a large population of travelers and tourists. Perhaps one of the most attractive parts of the trip to Vashi Gorge is the river that is located in the middle of a rocky valley. Due to the proximity of Vashi Strait to Tehran city, it is possible to travel to this area for one day, and especially in summer, thousands of residents of Tehran province and other surrounding provinces travel to this area. In recent years, many tourist institutions have organized various tours in this region, which has increased the fame and popularity of this region. According to the above, this thesis is divided into the following five chapters:

Chapter One: General Research

Chapter Two: Theoretical Foundations of Research

Chapter Three: The Natural Basis of Research

Chapter Four: Research Findings

Chapter Five: Conclusions and answers to hypotheses. 

Statement of the problem

One of the pillars of the tourism industry is the existence of tourist attractions, especially natural attractions that form the primary capital of the tourism industry. Seas, forests, meadows, mountains, valleys, waterfalls, mines, springs are among the ecotourism attractions.

Iran with its vast and unique nature, diverse climate and various geological features and environmental-cultural diversity with a special identity can be one of the geographical phenomena or (geotopes) throughout the country.

Iran with its vast and unique nature, diverse climate and various geological features and environmental-cultural diversity with a special identity can be geographical phenomena or (geotopes) throughout the country such as caves, gorges, valleys, fossil areas, leaky valleys, large geological cracks, geological formations, mud volcanoes and karstic lands, all kinds of minerals, sand pyramids, rock-stone beaches, ancient mines, caves and etc. as geological heritages in the form of numerous geoparks to be used as an effective tool in the direction of tourism development (Amri Kazemi, 1381, p. 261).

Firouzkoh city is one of the capable areas for the development of geotourism due to its pristine areas and many natural and geological attractions, the presence of geotourism attractions in this city adds to the importance of knowing and introducing these attractions. Today, the issue of geotourism development is the daily discussion of the officials of the tourism industry, so it is necessary to identify the capabilities and geotourism attractions of Firouzkoh city and also to introduce investment opportunities, to take effective action to introduce these attractions. Vashi Strait in the Jalizjand basin, this city is one of the areas that has many potentials in terms of ecotourism and geotourism capabilities and with coherent planning by the authorities. This can cause the development of Firouzkoh city. Therefore, this research intends to identify the geotourism potentials of the Vashi Strait by investigating the geotourism of Firouzkoh region in the Jalizjand basin and provide a solution.

Identifying geopotential and geomorphosites of Firouzkoh city, Vashi Strait region

Knowing the potential and actual capabilities of geotourism in Firozkoh city

Investigating and evaluating the capabilities and bottlenecks of geotourism development in Vashi Strait region

1-4- Statement of hypothesis

It seems that according to The existing geopotentials in the field of determining the boundaries of Firouzkoh city and providing geotourism solutions can achieve a level of sustainable tourism in the Vashi Strait area.

1-5- Research Background

-(2008) Hangzhou Zhu, Review of Sustainable Tourism in China, Qoms Publications introduces Geotourism as part of Linekoff and the third generation of industries and believes that geotourism itself will stimulate other industries such as transportation, services, food preparation, hotels, travel agencies and will play an effective role in sustainable economic development.

- Brilia (2009), examining the challenges of geotourism development in Portuguese geoparks, this effect considers the use of government legal tools as the most important strategy for natural heritage protection. The title of an introduction to nature tourism translated by Jafar Awaladi Qadiklai says that the meaning of the word nature tourism is constantly changing like the color of a chameleon. What ecologists initially referred to as a general concept to severely prevent environmental degradation. What is certain is that nature tourism creates a thriving job market in developed and developing countries (Oladi Qadiklai, 2015, p. 221).

- Maghsoodi, Mehran and Nakoi Sadri, Bahram, 2016, in their article entitled Geotourism, a new window towards the development of Iran's tourism industry, they say that Iran has a wide variety of geomorphological and geological structures in this regard, and presents a new development in the country's tourism industry (Maqsoudi and Nakoi Sadri, 2016, p. 72).

- Kargar, Bahman, 2016, in his article entitled Environmental Ecology and Growth of the Tourism Industry (Ecotourism and Geotourism) says that tourism (tourism or world tourism) is a phenomenon that has existed in human societies for a long time with its own forms and has gradually gone through the stages of its evolution with historical changes until the present day. In general, it should not be based on travel and relocation, which itself is the product of the various psychological, cultural, social and economic needs of man (Kargar, 2016, p. 46).

- Amri Kazemi, Alireza, 2016, in his article entitled Introduction of Geotourism in Iran, geotourism and geological tourism today has found a wide audience, whose audience is not only specialists and geological experts, but also ordinary tourists and nature enthusiasts. It is held in Australia (Amri Kazemi, 1381, p. 17).