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Investigating and comparing the effects of geotourism and identifying factors related to it in the rural settlements of western Iran
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Davood Jamini1   , Farhad Javan * 2, Bita Haydarian |
1- University of Kurdistan & Part-time Researcher at Kurdistan Studies Institute, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
2- University of Mazandaran |
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Abstract: (44 Views) |
Introduction
Considering the many economic, social and even environmental benefits of the tourism industry in general and geotourism in particular, it is essential to identify the related and effective factors in order to strengthen geotourism in the current and future situation. However, few studies have been conducted on geotourism and local communities at different spatial levels (local to international) and there are many weaknesses in this field. Objective evidence shows that in the vicinity of the three caves of Karafto (in Kurdistan Province), Quri Qaleh (in Kermanshah Province) and Alisadr (in Hamedan Province), there are three villages of Yuzbashi Kandi, Quri Qaleh and Alisadr respectively. Due to the attractiveness of the internal and external environment of these geotourism attractions, thousands of people visit them annually. There are no accurate statistics available regarding the number of visitors to these caves. However, a review of published news shows that in the first six months of 2024, 566 thousand people visited Alisadr Cave and during the Eid holidays of 2024, 2000 people visited Quri Qaleh tourism complex daily. The arrival of tourists to these geotourism complexes has an impact on the local community, especially the residents of the villages adjacent to these caves, and given the nature of the geotourism phenomenon and the significant number of visitors, this process is expected to have had significant effects on various aspects of rural development in tourism destinations. Therefore, the main questions of the present study are: What is the impact of geotourism on the dimensions and overall rural development of the local community living in the vicinity of the caves of Karfto, Quri Qaleh, and Ali Sadr? Is there a statistical difference between the dimensions and overall rural development of the local community affected by geotourism? And what are the most important factors related to the development of geotourism in the local community living in the vicinity of the caves of Karfto, Quri Qaleh, and Alisadr?
Materials & Methods
In accordance with the objectives of this research and the divisions made in the research method, the present study is a quantitative and applied research type, the dominant approach of which is a combination of descriptive-analytical and correlational methods. The statistical population of the research included all people living in the three villages Quri Qaleh (in Kermanshah province), Yozbashi Kandi (in Kurdistan province), and Alisadr (in Hamedan province), of which 314 people were considered as statistical samples. It should be noted that the number of samples considered for each village was based on the level of cooperation of the residents with the researchers. In this way, 115 people in Alisadr village, 80 people in Yozbashi Kandi village, and 119 people in Quri Qaleh village assisted the researchers in collecting field data in a completely random manner. The main tool for collecting field data was a researcher-made questionnaire, the validity and reliability of which were finally confirmed through visits to researchers and experts and a pre-test, respectively. It should be noted that the Cronbach's alpha coefficient obtained for different parts of the questionnaire was greater than 0.7.
Research findings
The results of the study of the impact of geotourism on rural development showed that the average obtained with a value of 3.3 was higher than the average. The results of comparing the effects of geotourism on the dimensions and overall rural development using analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicate that the selected villages are affected differently by geotourism. The results of Duncan's test regarding the overall effects of geotourism on the studied rural settlements showed that the two villages of Quri Qaleh and Yozbashi Kandi, with a rank average of 3.124 and 3.153, respectively, have the lowest impact, and the village of Alisadr, with a rank average of 3.598, has the highest impact from geotourism. Also, the results of the correlation coefficient showed that the variables of education, monthly income, main job, advertising, financial support from the government sector, financial investment from the private sector, social capital of the local community, holding training courses, and active cooperation of rural managers have a significant relationship with the dependent variable of the research with correlation coefficients of 0.114, 0.217, 0.213, 0.338, 0.525, 0.504, 0.341, 0.397, and 0.193, respectively.
Discussion of Results & Conclusion
Benefiting from the various capacities of rural development depends on coherent and applied studies on them. If we consider the tourism industry in general and geotourism in particular as development strategies for local communities, we will be in dire need of further studies on the various aspects of geotourism in order to develop and promote them. In line with the results obtained, the practical suggestions of the research in order to develop the effectiveness of geotourism are: Encouraging and persuading villagers to continue their education at university levels, creating jobs by relying on entrepreneurial opportunities related to geotourism, especially in the area of the Quri Qaleh and Krafto caves, Effective advertising and marketing through social networks and mass media, Holding attractive festivals and exhibitions, Allocating government credits and facilities to the local community, taking into account their conditions, Considering special discounts and incentives for private sector investors to develop sustainable economic activities in the villages under study, Preparing and implementing participatory economic projects for tourism development in villages, Forming multi-purpose cooperatives to develop activities in the tourism sector, Holding courses and workshops on job creation, entrepreneurship, marketing and advertising in the tourism sector and Strengthening communication and cooperation between rural residents and rural managers.
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Article number: 3 |
| Keywords: Tourism, geotourism, sustainable rural development. |
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Full-Text [PDF 934 kb]
(43 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2024/12/20 | Accepted: 2025/07/28 | Published: 2025/09/30
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