The Importance of Water Resources Ecotourism on the Tourism Development of Mountainous Areas (Case study: Hamadan province)

فصلنامه آب و توسعه پایدار

Article 16, Volume 4, Issue 2 - Serial Number 9, March 2018, Pages 139-150   

Document Type: review paper

DOI: 10.22067/jwsd.v4i2.59783

Authors

Alireza ildoromi^{* 1}; mohammad ghorbani²

¹Department of Range and Watershed Management, University of Malayer

²Science and Research Branch, Tehran

Abstract

In recent years, ecotourism and tourism with a focus on water resources has attracted more attention. In many mountain valleys of Iran during the last fifty years, the use of natural resources, especially water, has continuously increased. A steady increase in the consumption and subsequent pressure on natural resources in the context of these areas has created serious challenges. The purpose of this study is to identify the role of water ecotourism in tourism development in mountainous areas using a descriptive - analysis approach. The weaknesses, strengths, opportunities, and threats to water resources in ecotourism development were extracted through closed interviews with 20 aboriginal candidates and 30 local authorities, and were made available in the form of a questionnaire to tourists. SWOT analysis shows that among all internal factors affecting the development of ecotourism in the area of water resources, 11 factors as strengths and 8 factors as weaknesses were identified and evaluated. The analysis shows that among all external factors affecting the development of ecotourism in the area of water resources, 10 factors as external opportunities and 9 factors as external threats facing these regions were identified. Finally, using the SWOT technique it was shown that the ecotourism in the area of water resources are very robust in the considered areas (3.33 and 3.34 points in terms of internal and external factors, respectively). In the considered area, there is a good potential for the agricultural crop and livestock packaging industry, rural small industries, and tourism activities. Relying on participatory management, development, and implementation of appropriate strategies, especially competitive, we are able to use the potential of the region to create jobs and income in order to reduce the pressure on natural resources, especially water, in non-agricultural sectors. The analysis of the data indicates that water ecotourism development cause the conservation of the environment so that it can provide the most use at the lowest cost.

Keywords

Water Resources; Ecotourism; Tourism; SWOT Model; Hamedan province

References

جوزی، ع. 1394. طراحی محیط‏ زیستی پارک کوهستانی با تأکید بر توسعه گردشگری طبیعت، (نمونه موردی: پارک کوهستانی گلابدره منطقه یک تهران). پژوهش‏های محیط‏زیست، 6(11): 3-14.

حیدری، ت. 1392. ارزیابی قابلیت‏ های گردشگری شهر زنجان و راهبردهای تقویت جذب گردشگر. مطالعات گردشگری، 7(21): 29-57.

رمضانی، ب. 1390. ارزیابی آسیب‏ پذیری زیست‏ محیطی گردشگری سواحل بندر انزلی با استفاده از مدلSWOT . علوم و تکنولوژی محیط‏زیست، 16(ویژه ‏نامه شماره 1): 275-287.

ضیایی، م. میرزایی، ر. 1388. چالش‏ های مدیریتی و توسعه گردشگری در مناطق تحت حفاظت سواحل جنوبی دریای خزر (مطالعه موردی پناهگاه حیات‏وحش میانکاله). فصلنامه مطالعات جهانگردی، 2: 1-34.

وزین، ن. 1393. تدوین الگوی برنامه ‏ریزی راهبردی توسعه اکوتوریسم تالابی در راستای سلامت اکوسیستم تالاب و پایداری جوامع روستایی، مورد محدوده تالاب‏ های میانکاله و لَپوی زاغْمرز. مجله علمی -پژوهشی برنامه ‏ریزی فضایی، جغرافیا، 4(2)، پیاپی 13: 153-174.

Chang H. and Huang W. 2006. Application of a quantification SWOT analytical method. Mathematical and computer modeling, 43: 158-169.

Lixao-dong L.I. 2005. An application of SWOT analytic way in national parks' traveling programs of Jing Yue-tan [J]. Journal of Changchun University, 6: 23.

Ping R. 2006. SWOT Analysis of Ecotourism Industry in Zipeng Mountain National Forest Park [J]. Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin, 9: 98.