Application of climate in Lake Urmia tourism planning using SWOT, TCI indicators

Dissertation for obtaining a master degree

in the field of natural geography, climatology

first chapter

general research

1-1- Introduction

The tourism industry is one of the most important industries for economic growth in developed and developing countries) Font and Ahjem [1], 1999: Currently, many countries receive their economic and social benefits from tourism and use tourism revenues to develop their infrastructure (Eccles and Costa [2], 1996: 44). Among the factors affecting this tourism industry, we can mention weather and climate conditions. So that today, the study of these effects has created a new branch of science, called human bioclimatology or human biometeorology. (Mahmoudi, 2007: 44). The study of climatic characteristics and their relationship with human activities provides methods for the analysis of environmental conditions in the framework of tourism planning (Tolaei, 2016). Because one of the information required by tourists is the climatic conditions of the destination, and most tourists pay attention to the climatic factors in order to choose a tourist destination Regarding human thermal comfort conditions, it is necessary to use human comfort indicators (Farajzadeh and Ahmadabadi, 1388). The meaning of human comfort conditions or the comfort zone is the set of conditions that, in terms of temperature and humidity, at least 80% of the people who are randomly selected and placed in those conditions have a subjective judgment of the comfort state (Kasmai, 1372: 50). The expansion of the tourism industry in places that have the potential to attract tourists can be used as a useful tool for the comprehensive growth and development of the host communities. The presence of attraction is considered as a necessary and not sufficient element for the growth and development of the tourism industry, because the development of the tourism industry in any region requires accurate identification of the area, knowledge of the type of weather and the provision of services and facilities needed by tourists, and introduction to attract tourists. The development of tourism brings many and many benefits to the host communities, one of which is economic benefits. Tourism is one of the most important human benefits of the contemporary century, which along with the emergence of tremendous changes in the earth's landscape, political, economic, cultural, moral, and human life (Mehlati, 1380: 13). Harumieh Sea is a vast and highly saline sea that is located in the northwest of Iran and between the provinces of West and East Azarbaijan. This lake is located at the bottom of the catchment point of Bhattai with an area of ??approximately 52,000 square kilometers, parts of which are located in Kurdistan province. Urmia Lake is a national park and one of the largest sites in Iran, which has been introduced as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve as a pristine natural center and an attractive tourist area, mostly due to the presence of pristine and untouched natural attractions and the presence of a large number of freshwater and brackish satellite wetlands around this lake, many of which are of global importance in terms of biodiversity (Lake Urmia Comprehensive Management Program, 1388: 13). According to the mentioned materials, it is possible to accurately identify suitable conditions for attracting tourists in terms of (ecological conditions and thermal comfort) in Lake Urmia with careful planning. The general purpose of this research was to investigate the effective climatic factors in the tourism of the Four Rivers of Rumyeh using TCI and SWOT indicators, and at the same time we will investigate and analyze the correlation factors of the natural and human phenomena that attract tourism in the studied area. It is that country and without investment in infrastructure and superstructure projects, we cannot expect to expand employment, production and economic prosperity. Investing in tourism infrastructure and using regional potential to attract tourists is one of the appropriate ways for economic development (Ebrahimzadeh and Aghasizadeh, 1388: 108). In today's era, tourism is considered as one of the effective factors in the expansion of relations between nations, but its development requires special facilities such as weather, historical and cultural monuments, natural attractions, customs and traditions, infrastructures and facilities. Understanding this importance, countries are starting to provide suitable facilities and equipment in order to attract tourism.. With the increase in population and the increasing growth of cities on the one hand and the recent significant developments in the transportation network and technology and other elements of human life on the other hand, the motivations for the need to travel and tourist trips also increase with each passing day. Since the late 1960s, the tourism industry has grown significantly in its global dimensions, as in 2006, the number of international tourists reached 808 million people, and it is predicted that during the 2020s, tourism will be considered the number one industry in the world (Meshaiai, 1389: 114). Iran is one of the first ten countries with the potential of the tourism industry, the income from the tourism industry can potentially replace the oil industry in Iran. This situation has been taken into consideration by mentioning traditional studies to modern methods and information technology in recent years. The importance of the issue is so clear and transparent that in the world of technology, most of the internet sites of the provinces and especially the famous sites of Iran pay special attention to ancient monuments and tourism in order to introduce local, regional, national and international capabilities, and even in local advertisements, both at the local level and at the national and international levels, they refer to the touristic and ancient capabilities. Capabilities, limitations, opportunities and threats of tourism should be explained according to the new approaches and macro and micro plans of the country (Kyani, 2009: 2). Lake Urmia is the largest permanent reservoir in Western Asia, which is located in the northwest of Iran, and is the 20th largest lake in the world and the second hypersaline lake in the world. Its area is estimated to be 5100 square kilometers on average, this lake is one of the most important natural habitats in the region and due to its unique reasons, UNESCO (1976) has been recognized as a national park (Rosoli and Jahanbakhsh 2017). With proper planning, this lake can become a magnet for Iran's tourism, and this research is also carried out in line with this important goal. In terms of attracting tourism, it is almost in the last ranks of the world. According to the statistics of 2002, the World Tourism Organization [3] (W.T.O), only 2.4% of the number and 1.6% of the world's tourism income is allocated to Iran. In the twenty-year vision of the country in the horizon of 1404, gaining 2% of the global tourism income and 1.5% of international tourists, i.e. 20 million tourists, is considered as the goal. The realization of these goals will be possible if tourism potentials are firstly identified, and secondly, they are recognized at the international level as well as at the domestic level. In Iran, the diversity of weather and climate can be considered as a source of tourism, and the optimal use of these potentials with the aim of improving the quality of tourism leads to the development of tourism (Ismaili et al., 2019: 3). Lake Urmia, which is one of the most important and valuable water ecosystems in Iran, was declared as a national park in the early 1990s and as a biosphere reserve in 1995 by UNESCO. Also, this lake is one of the wetlands of international importance and was introduced to the Convention on the Protection of Wetlands in 1354 (Ramsar 1971). It is one of the important areas for birds and for the people of Azerbaijan, it is not only a water area, but a meeting place for sightseeing, recreation, rest and a view of God-given beauty and healing pains and pains. This lake, which contains 102 large and small islands, welcomes foreign and domestic tourists every year. Recreation and use of the tourist attractions of this lake or for the treatment of diseases by using the algae and salts of the water of Lake Urmia take refuge in the heart of Urmia. The beauty of Lake Urmia and its geographical location make all the tourists who enter the province of West Azerbaijan visit this lake.