Investigating the environmental capabilities for the development of ecotourism based on sustainable development (a case study of eastern Hormozgan province)

Dissertation for Master's Degree in Ecotourism

Abstract:

The tourism industry, as a dynamic industry with its innovation-oriented features, occupies an important part of production activities in the advanced and growing world. The growth of this industry in every country requires proper strategy and planning and management. The purpose of this research, which is carried out in the east of Hormozgan province, is to identify the ecotourism capabilities and capacities of this region, to determine suitable places for sustainable development and ecotourism development using the AHP model and the Makhdoom model. From the AHP method, after defining the criteria that is a combination of quantitative and qualitative criteria, first the resource maps of the information layers are classified and weighted in the GIS software, and after explaining the theoretical foundations and defining the main and effective criteria in The selection and development of tourism activities, the required statistics and information will be collected through field surveys.

The research findings from the investigation of the capabilities of these regions in the field of nascent tourism industry, indicate the fact that these cities, in terms of their specific geographical location and being located next to open waters and adjacent to the countries on the southern shores of the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea, having pleasant and pleasant weather in autumn and winter and exploiting natural and historical eye-catching landscapes, have the capacity to become one of It has one of the major tourism hubs in the southeast of the country.

The main obstacle of the big situation on the way to reach this goal is due to the multitude of decision makers and management issues and weakness in the infrastructures. The solutions of this research are in optimizing the existing situation and organizing the tourism industry in this city.

Key words:

Ecotourism development, AHP model, Makhdoom model, sustainable development, eastern Hormozgan province

Chapter 1

Research overview

1-1 Introduction:

Tourism is one of the main factors of sustainable development at the levels It is economic, social, cultural and environmental (Papli et al., 2015) and various political, economic, cultural, artistic and other dimensions. It has affected human life all over the planet and caused changes and transformations in them.

Tourism is the largest and most prosperous industry in the world and it is expected that this industry will be the leader in the 21st century and its upward trend will continue (Halogenkins, 1388, 11) During the last 60 years, tourism has enjoyed continuous growth, so that it has become one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world. (Taibi, 1387, 67) According to the statistics of the World Bank, in 2000, the number of tourists around the world reached 701 million people, and from this tourism flow, an amount of about 475 billion dollars has directly entered the world economic cycle. (World Bank, 2002)

Ecotourism is a relatively new trend in the tourism industry. The natural environment, livelihood and traditional ways of life, the beautiful views and landscapes of nature are the main goals and tourist attractions of this type of tourism. In order to sustain and develop this industry, protecting the environment and protecting the traditional culture is a priority. Ecotourists who travel to the natural and pristine areas of the planet with their own motivations will gain beneficial experiences.(Akbari and Garakhlo, 2010)

The United Nations decided to declare 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism and mandated the Sustainable Development Commission of this organization (UNEP) and the World Tourism Organization to carry out activities in this year. The purpose of this work is to review past experiences in the field of eco-tourism, identify and promote types of ecotourism in which endangered ecosystems are protected, share the benefits of activities with local communities and respect local cultures. Tourism in general and nature tourism in particular can ensure appropriate profitability for local communities and protection of natural resources with proper planning and link economic growth with the process of protecting natural resources, especially in developing countries. (Simin Tolai, 2016)

Sustainable development is a prerequisite for sustainable tourism because unsustainable development can overshadow the quality of tourism products and related services. (Tolai, 2016)

Identification and Introducing the natural attractions and historical monuments and ancient and cultural monuments of Iran is one of the effective measures that can be useful and effective in the development of nature tourism and earning more money.(Tolaei, 1386)

Identifying and introducing natural attractions and historical monuments and ancient and cultural monuments of Iran is one of the effective measures that can be useful and effective in developing nature tourism and earning more money. This research aims to take a valuable step in the development of this industry by recognizing and introducing the natural attractions and capabilities of the east of Hormozgan province, which is based on sustainable development and brought new and promising horizons in the development of these cities. Identifying and introducing the environmental capabilities in the cities of Jask, Sirik and Beshagard as areas prone to nature tourism and the development of ecotourism on the growth and development of these cities, which is based on sustainable development, can lead to economic, social and to help in these cities.

Regarding the importance of tourism and nature tourism studies and the applicability of such studies, the present research in the form of a master's thesis entitled ((Investigation of environmental capacities for the development of ecotourism based on sustainable development, case study: East of Hormozgan province))

1-2 Motivation for choosing the subject:

Knowing the environmental capacities of the east of the province as one of the poles of ecotourism requires a more detailed investigation with It is based on the recognition of capacity with a view to sustainable development. If these capacities can be better identified, better planning can be done to overcome the current and upcoming economic challenges in the province. Ecotourism planning has a great capacity to introduce the culture of the province and on the other hand, it can be an effective help to the economy of the region. The face of the earth changes the political, economic, cultural situation, character and way of life of people. (Mahalati, 13: 1380) Ecotourism as a type of tourism industry in the framework of the model of the tourism space, has many capabilities in the field of environmental adaptability in the direction of sustainable tourism. Iran is a vast country with diverse geographical conditions, which has caused it to have many capabilities regarding ecotourism in terms of environment, tourism, and economy. This activity is international. (Kazemi, 1385:1)

Sustainable development is a process that meets the needs of current tourists and the host community and at the same time supports this need and strengthens its future. Providing the conditions for sustainable development requires that this concept becomes a part of our subconscious mind and requires the great efforts of all sections of a society and is not limited to the efforts of the educated part of society or a specific industry. Sustainable development is not an issue that has a special occasion on a particular day or time. For sustainable development, four issues should be considered, which are:

The principles on which sustainable development policies are based.

The important areas of sustainable development that apply to the tourism industry.

How to divide the responsibilities of sustainable development

Developing an agenda for sustainable development measures in the tourism sector (Rangebrian et al., 2014)

In today's world, considering that many people in the context Modern societies look for activities that connect them with nature, tourism has also found a wide approach to nature tourism. Therefore, the investigation in this field seems necessary and it can be acknowledged that there is no place for this branch in the comprehensive plans of the country (Nakoi Sadri, 1384: 76)

Hormozgan province is one of the 31 provinces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is located in the south of the country between the geographical coordinates of 25 degrees 30 minutes to 28 degrees 53 minutes north latitude and 52 degrees 44 minutes to 59 degrees and It is located 16 minutes east longitude from the Greenwich meridian.

Beshagard city is located in the center of Sardasht city, at a distance of about 400 kilometers northeast of Bandar Abbas and at the geographical coordinates of 57 degrees 23 minutes to 59 degrees 2 minutes east longitude and 26 degrees 4 minutes to 26 degrees 58 minutes north latitude. This city is bordered by Kerman province from the north, Sistan and Baluchistan province from the east and northeast, Jask city from the south, Sirik city from the west, and Minab city from the northwest.