Evaluation of Tourist Attractions in Borujerd County with Emphasis on Development of New Markets by Using Topsis Model
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Science Journal of Business and Management 2015; 3(5): 175-189 Published online August 27, 2015 (http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/sjbm) doi: 10.11648/j.sjbm.20150305.16 ISSN: 2331-0626 (Print); ISSN: 2331-0634 (Online) Evaluation of Tourist Attractions in Borujerd County with Emphasis on Development of New Markets by Using Topsis Model Mohammad Taghipour 1, *, Jahangir Ahmadi Sarchoghaei 2 1Department of Industrial Engineering, Science and Research Branch of Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran 2Department of Tourism Management, Non-Profit Institution of Higher Education, Aba- Abyek, Qazvin, Iran Email address: [email protected] (M. Taghipour), [email protected] (J. A. Sarchoghaei) To cite this article: Mohammad Taghipour, Jahangir Ahmadi Sarchoghaei. Evaluation of Tourist Attractions in Borujerd County with Emphasis on Development of New Markets by Using TOPSIS Model. Science Journal of Business and Management . Vol. 3, No. 5, 2015, pp. 175-189. doi: 10.11648/j.sjbm.20150305.16 Abstract: This research aims to identify tourist attractions in Borujerd County in order to develop new tourism markets in Lorestan province of Iran. For that purpose and with the use of GIS, parameters such as slope, aspect, elevation, precipitation, land use, topography, and landform geology are separately studied and digital maps for each feature are created. Through interviews with experts and with regard to those parameters, ecotourism activities in the region are identified; and the final maps of the zones suitable for these activities are produced. These activities have been analyzed using TOPSIS multi-criteria decision model and based on marketing factors. TOPSIS analysis defines the order of preference of the region’s tourism activities as ecotourism, rural tourism, hiking, mountaineering, and winter sports respectively. In other words, the mentioned activities have higher marketing priority. Keywords: Marketing, New Tourism Markets, Natural Attractions, Rural Tourism, Geographic Information System (GIS), Borujerd County [3]. 1. Introduction Located at the East side of Zagros Mountains, Borujerd Tourism is an ancient phenomenon in human societies County has a fine climate, vast water resources, and an which through time has evolved into its current technical, untouched natural environment and can be an appropriate economic, social, and ecological status [1]. As an industry, market for tourism. Of course this issue requires the proper it makes up for almost 10 percent of global income, and as understanding and evaluation of the potentials of this an occupation it provides jobs for one-tenth of global county. For this purpose this research use GIS to identify workforce. Due to its economic value as well as cultural ecological capacities of this region, extract the suitable and social impacts, tourism industry is an important matter tourism activities based on those capacities, determine the to be involved with [2]. domain of each activity, and then use TOPSIS model and Iran has a rich heritage of historical, cultural, natural and marketing criteria to assess and prioritize the potentials for ethnological attractions and has a great potential for tourist attraction. The criteria considered for marketing are: development of tourism industry. Introduction of natural Safety and security of the region for each ecotourism attraction in order to identify potential markets can be an activity effective step towards sustainable tourism in the region. Presence of adequate information and expert guides Tourism marketing has developed new concepts regarding for each are and activity various marketing skills and is connected to modern Tourists’ general opinion about the county technology via geographic information system. However Roads and accessibility of each area the traditional methods of marketing have never been The ability to acquire investments in each domain and denied by tourism marketers who use tourism marketing by area in order to develop the market GIS as a combination of modern and traditional methods The extent of available welfare and recreational Science Journal of Business and Management 2015; 3(5): 175-189 176 accommodation for each activity demographically important Iranian province and a center In this research, with the use of hierarchical analysis we for tourism industry. Yet it sends out mode tourists than it try to answer these questions: can we reach appropriate receives in. Borujerd is a Western Iranian county. It is solutions to develop and expand tourism in Borujerd? And located in Zagros Mountains and its capital is Borujerd City. can we propose appropriate and practical plans for that The county of Borujerd is bound from north to purpose? Malayer&Nahavand in Hamedan province, from east to Shazand County in Markazi province, from South to 2. Introduction of the Studied Region Dorood County, and from west to the counties of Khorramabadand Delfan. Borujerd County lies between Lorestan province is a politically, economically, and 33°36' N and 34°6' N, and between 48°27' E and 49°27' E. Picture 1. Location of Borujerd County within Lorestan province. 4. Evaluation of Ecological Capability 3. Identification of Ecological Resources Evaluation of ecological capability refers to the appraisal To evaluate environmental capacity to tourism and evaluation of each homogeneous zone in a land for development and marketing, first every environmental different types of use [4]. element affecting tourism such as topography, geographical Common types of recreation in Iran and other parts of aspect and orientation, slope, landform, land use, and world are divided into two major categories based on the conditions of climate, precipitation, and temperature should extent of land/environmental development they require. be evaluated and classified. Then with the combination of Intensive recreation: this category of recreation requires the identified elements and through systematic evaluation, a further environmental development. It includes activities pattern for productivity of the environment is produced such as swimming, Ski, camping, bicycle riding, and using which different areas and regions can be orderly cultural sightseeing. ranked and classified in terms of tourism capacity and Extensive recreation: this category refers to activities specific use. which do not require any land/environmental development such as mountaineering, hunting, or activities which require little development such as fishing, safari, horse riding, and 177 Mohammad Taghipour and Jahangir Ahmadi Sarchoghaei: Evaluation of Tourist Attractions in Borujerd County with Emphasis on Development of New Markets by Using TOPSIS Model watching animals in their natural habitat. Species composition: mostly di-cotyledons, woody plants or On that basis, a tourism ecological model for intensive thorn bushes, or slow-growing plants [5]. and extensive recreation has been prepared which will be presented separately. 6. Ecological Model for Extensive Recreation 5. Ecological Model for Intensive Recreation 6.1. First Class 5.1. First Class Climate: same as that of intensive recreation (first class). Water: 5-12 liters per day per person. Climate: mean temperature in the season of spring and Slope: zero to 25 percent. summer is 21-25°C. Number of sunny days per month in the Soil and geological condition: same as first class intensive season of spring and summer is more than 15 days. recreation (these conditions are important only for building Water: 40 to 150 liters per day per person. pavements and dirt roads, otherwise they are irrelevant to Slope: zero to 5 percent. extensive recreation). Geographical aspect: eastern (summer), southern (winter). Other parameters: of little importance. Soil texture: loam. 6.2. Second Class Soil drainage: complete Soil fertility: moderate to good Climate: same as that of intensive recreation (second class). Soil structure: semi-developed to fully-developed with Water: about 5 liters. medium granules Slope: 25 to 50 percent. Soil depth: deep Soil and geological condition: same as second class Parent rock: granite, sand hills (humid climate), flood basalt, intensive recreation (these conditions are important only for alluvium (continental plate alluvial deposit). building pavements and dirt roads, otherwise they are Vegetation density: 40 to 80 percent irrelevant). Species composition: mostly monocotyledons Other parameters: of little importance. 5.2. Second Class 6.3. Unsuitable Climate: mean temperature in the season of spring and Slope: 50 percent (with the exception of mountaineering, summer is 21-30°C. Number of sunny days per month in the this condition makes the area unsuitable for any activity). season of spring and summer is more than 7-15 days. When evaluating ecological capabilities for tourism, one Water: 12 to 40 liters per day per person. must bear in mind that not all parameters in the ecological Slope: 5 to 15 percent. model have the same weight. The ranking order of Geographical aspect: northern (summer), western (winter). parameters in terms of importance is as follows: Soil texture: sand, loam clay, clay loam. 1- Slope 2- Soil and rock condition 3- Geographical Soil drainage: poor to medium. aspect 4- Water 5- Vegetation 6- Climate Soil fertility: moderate. This order signifies that if for example the slope of the Soil structure: semi-developed semi-medium to large environmental unit was not suitable for recreational granules purposes, then the unit will automatically be dismissed and Soil depth: medium