A Quarterly Journal of Urban Economics and Management www. en.iueam.ir Vol. 5, No. 1(17), Winter, 2016, Pages: 31-46 Indexed in: ISC, EconLit, Econbiz, SID, Noormags, Magiran, Ensani, Civilica, RICeST ISSN: 2345-2870

Tourism Environmental Zoning Powers of Province to Develop Ecotourism

Sadegh Hadizadeh Zargar* Master of Urbanization- Urban-Regional Planning, Faculty of Architecture and Urbanization, Isfahan University of Art, Isfahan,

Received: 2014/06/10 Accepted: 2014/08/30 Abstract: Locating potential areas of ecotourism is one of the important ideas in management and development. This trend of tourism plays an important role in protecting environmental and economic resources of countries in the world. Its development in any country requires effective management and planning in this field. This research aims to identify potential areas of ecotourism in to protect natural resources and prepare the ground for sustainable financial resources for city management in this province. In terms of purpose, this research is applied and research method is descriptive-analytical. AHP, MCDM, fuzzy set interval value, and using results in geographical information system were used in order to identify potential areas of ecotourism in Mazandaran Province. The results indicated that the criterion of tourism potential (with relative normalized weigh of 0.311) had the most impact and the criterion of facilities and travel services (with normalized score of 0.120) had the least impact among four detected main criteria. However, detected areas for ecotourism development had the closest distance to tourism prominent centers and the farthest with undesirable areas as Downloaded from iueam.ir at 3:55 +0330 on Tuesday September 28th 2021 well. Keywords: Locating, tourism, ecotourism, fuzzy AHP model, Mazandaran Province JEL Classification: P48, C38, N75, Q57

* Corresponding author: [email protected] 23 ______A Quarterly Journal of Urban Economics and Management

1- Introduction which investable ecological attractions in Tourism industry, as one of the most Iran represent ecotourism as a unique important phenomena of the third millennium economic resource in our country (Akbari had increasingly significant impact on & Bemaniyan, 2008). economic growth, dynamism and One of the most serious problems of cultural exchanges in countries over the planning is inattention to decision-making. past half century. The global experiences This means that it results in the waste of indicate whenever tourism develops national wealth in many cases. Identifying accidentally and without planning, prone areas of ecotourism is one of the environmental and social problems will solutions preventing incorrect decision- emerge and tourism problems have exceeded making in the path of investment, leading on its benefits in long run since uncontrollable to tourism development. Given that development and lack of tourism management tourism can have many positive and reduce the attraction of tourism destinations negative impacts on host society, strongly preventing other interested tourists’ attention to sustainable tourism based on travel to these places, followed by serious nature to reduce negative impacts has socio-economic problems for host societies been regarded with serious discussion of (SeyyedAlipour, et.al, 2010). sustainable development in recent years Identification of prone areas to to protect nature features and prepare the develop tourism activities is one of the ground for sustainable development. most important issues of tourism planners In this regard, Mazandaran Province, and one of the most extensive and popular as a tourism hub in the country, with its GIS1 applications; tourism activities planning exclusive natural features that attract cannot be apart from finding suitable millions of domestic and foreign tourism place by using GIS. Thus, in tourism annually, is likely that nature-based issue, planners should look for combined tourism to be considered in this area. models and methods of GIS (Biranvand, Thus, identification of prone areas of

Downloaded from iueam.ir at 3:55 +0330 on Tuesday September 28th 2021 2008). On the other hand, development of ecotourism in the province is the first step tourism industry in places that have for ecotourism cycle and introduction of potential to attract tourists can be applied its potentials. Considering existing as an efficient tool in line with complexities in it, identification of these comprehensive growth and development areas requires to regard criteria for of host societies. Attraction is counted as assessment. Different methods in multi- a necessary but not sufficient element for criteria decision-making have been tourism industry development and growth; introduced so far, but AHP2 , with simpler therefore, development of tourism mathematics, is more understandable for industry in any area requires accurate decision-makers than other ones. Because identification of the region, providing of using statistical data, uncertainty can services and facilities required for tourists be modeled better in Fuzzy sets in this and introduction in order to attract type of data compared to certain numbers. tourists (Mahallati, 2001). Geographical- In this research, effective factors on natural studies and feasibility of each of identification of prone areas of ecotourism

1- Geographic Information Systems 2- Analytic Hierarchy Process Tourism Environmental Zoning Powers …______33

in Mazandaran Province were detected by By using AHP and ELECTRE methods, experts and to evaluate obtained indicators, he assessed selected activities. AHP with Fuzzy sets of interval values to Bunruamkaew and Murayam (2011) determine the importance of each criterion identified and prioritized ecotourism and sub-criterion. areas in Surat Thani Province in Thailand Given classification of these indicators by using GIS and AHP. Evaluation process in this research, firstly, four maps were was done according to experts’ views and designed indicating four main criteria of based on 9 criteria of perspective and communicative networks, natural hazards, view, land cover, protected areas, species ecotourism potential, and travel facilities diversity, height, slope, proximity to and services. These maps were obtained cultural centers, distance from roads, and by the outcome of any sub-criterion on settlements. corresponding layer in GIS. Finally, final Bukenya (2012) evaluated 10 national map that identifies prone areas of parks in Uganda with 10 selected criteria ecotourism in Mazandaran Province was in an article titled “application of GIS in obtained that is a combination of ecotourism development decisions: Evidence importance value of each of which from the Pearl of Africa”. The evaluation criteria on four maps obtained in previous was to develop ecotourism and invest in steps. each of these parks due to their specific features. 2- Literature Review b) Iranian Researches a) Foreign Researches Shayan & Parsi (2007) considered Boyd et.al, (1995) located prone parameters such as form of the land, areas of ecotourism in an article titles geology, vegetation, lithology, protected “identification of ecotourism criteria and areas, and climate and water flow in an parameters in the northern Ontario, article titled “feasibility of prone areas of Canada” after identifying criteria including ecotourism in Kohgilooyeh & BoyerAhmad

Downloaded from iueam.ir at 3:55 +0330 on Tuesday September 28th 2021 nature, wild life, cultural heritages, Province” for zoning of prone areas of perspective, and society. ecotourism. Data were evaluated by GIS Fung and Marafa (2002) studied and the results indicated that Dena and ecological perspective and ecotourism Gachsaran cities are more capable to potential of Feng shui forests by using provide services and support tourism. IKONOS satellite pictures and GIS. They Joozi et.al, (2009) evaluated ecological specified prone areas of ecotourism in ability of Bolhasan area in Dezfool given northern Ethiopia by using parameters its ecological features. By using AHP and like height, slope, vegetation density, GIS, criteria were evaluated and ecological temperature, rainfall, and a combination ability was shown on map. of these indicators and using them in GIS. Farajzadeh Asl & Karimpanah (2008) Ok (2006) identified effective criteria identified suitable zones in an article titled on ecotourism planning in the forest area “analysis of suitable zones of ecotourism of Igneada, North West of . He development in Kordestan Province by also detected activities in environmental, using GIS” by detecting indicators and social, and economic activities as integrating information layers in GIS and effective factors on ecotourism planning. Boolean model. The results indicated that

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nearly 80 percent of the Province zone zoning accuracy was investigated with has required potential for ecotourism sample tourism areas in the province. development. Behniyafar & Mansoori Deneshvar 3- Theoretical Principles (2010) did zoning of spatial planning with One of the most important concerns multi-criteria evaluation approach and of urban management is to guide and using AHP in order to develop tourism in control physical-spatial development of GIS in watershed area of Golmakan. cities systematically. This requires resources Karami & Modiri 92010) identified and tools including sufficient resources. prone areas of tourism aiming to investigate The important point in the finance of the role of tourism development in financial resources is sustainability and Kalpooragan area. The results indicated utility of revenue sources since abandonment that development grounds could be of urban management in obtaining prepared for regional tourism due to financial resources leads to unsustainable natural and historical attractions and revenue from building taxes, and particularly potentials in the area including pottery selling construction surplus density workshops, in case of proper management (Lalehpoor, 2014). However, researches and providing a regional comprehensive have indicated that active tourism sector plan. and accurate planning in this arena would Hakimi Abed et.al, (2011) studied have positive impacts on economic suitable tourism areas based on limited components and achieving urban sustainable ecological criteria by using GIS in the revenue, and achievement of desirable southern shores of the of city management as a result. . This research aimed to The Role of Tourism Development in determine proper zones to develop coastal Economy tourism that have the least adverse effects Today, tourism has developed in in the current and long run. such a way that it is counted as the

Downloaded from iueam.ir at 3:55 +0330 on Tuesday September 28th 2021 Amirahmadi & Mozaffari (2012) world’s third most lucrative industry after identified appropriate zones of ecotourism important industries such as oil and development in by using automobile. Economists refer to it as GIS. The results indicated that more than “invisible export.” (Estelaji & Khoshniyat 30 percent of area of the Province has Bayati, 2012). Tourism, as a dynamic good potential for a variety of ecotourism industry with evident and exclusive activities. features, has allocated an important part This research looks for methods to of economic and productive activities of obtain sustainable revenue resources from developed and developing countries to natural tourism development in order to itself (Ebrahimzadeh, et.al, 2011). Tourism create a more favorable urban management is a key to economic growth (Zarrabi & in the studied area by identifying natural Eslami Parikhani, 2011); in a way that its tourism potential. One of the distinctions development in advanced countries of this research with similar domestic and results in a variety of incomes and foreign studies is the use of type-2 Fuzzy reducing imbalances in economy, and it is technique combined with GIS. However, an opportunity for export, foreign exchange, and employment in developing countries Tourism Environmental Zoning Powers …______35

as well (Ebrahimzadeh et.al, 2011). is a kind of returning to nature. It has Moreover, tourism, as one of the ways to been emerged as a type of tourism in make money, has high value added recent years and it has been developed (Rezvani, 2000). It refered as a gateway rapidly (Zhang et al., 2012). Today, it is for development (Zarrabi & Eslami regarded as the fastest developing sector Parikhani, 2011). Some of the major in tourism industry (Jones, 2005). Ecotourism achievements of tourism are employment is one of the most important resources of (Ebrahimzadeh, et.al, 2011), development money, employment, and infrastructure to of regional infrastructures (Zarrabi & achieve sustainable development (Entezari Eslami Parikhani, 2011), mobility of & Aqayipoor, 2014); therefore, it has critical economies and improving been recognized to develop areas that developmental activities (Eftekhari, et.al, have suitable natural features (Zhang et 2011), and raising public awareness in al., 2012). It can be used for underdeveloped order to protect the natural environment countries that have comparative advantage (Techera & Klein, 2013); therefore, in natural resources to support economic enjoying unique privileges, this industry activities (Che, 2006). However, the growth provides several goals in the country of this industry in any country requires an simultaneously while other industries can appropriate strategy and effective managerial provide only a part of intended purposes plan (Joozi et.al, 2009). (Kazemi, et.al, 2010). Yet, there is no need for macro Thus, tourism is the most important investment to develop ecotourism since it current human activities. By creating does not need luxury accommodations. significant changes in the face of the Living in free and pristine environment is earth, political, economic, and cultural more attractive for them. If natural situation, it transforms human beings’ environment is not considered in long way of life (Mahallati, 2001). It is also run, it will have many changes. Thus, the counted as one of the ways to achieve backbone of this industry is natural

Downloaded from iueam.ir at 3:55 +0330 on Tuesday September 28th 2021 sustainable development since it can resources. In other words, ecotourism is increase economic growth, protect more interested in taking advantage of resources, and improve quality of life in natural beauties and amazing aspects of the host society, by meeting tourists’ nature such as waterfalls, mountain, river needs (Lee, 2013). basins, valleys and deserts and it does Ecotourism and Sustainable Development consider skyscrapers, star hotels (Molaei According to the International & Rajabi, 2011). Ecotourism Society, today, 30 percent of Finally, it can be stated that ecotourism tourism is ecotourism (Joozi, et.al, 2009). is one of the tourism tendencies compatible As a result, considerable part of the world with nature and environment that requires tourism activities is based on taking travel and visiting natural areas without advantage of the nature. In ecotourism interfering in it to enjoy, realize, and activities, individuals or tourist groups investigate natural attractions of these travel high mountains, forests, desert and areas (Cruz et al., 2005). In this regard, sea aiming to take advantage of natural the evolution of ecotourism, in its modern beauty and stunning visual effects concept, is related to three main issues: 1. (FarajzadehAsl, 2008). In fact, ecotourism Ecotourism is a reaction against negative

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impacts of mass tourism 2. It is a reaction Determining Research Indicators to increasing demand to travel to natural This research has used Delphi method areas and attractions. 3. Ecotourism is a for two reasons. Firstly, to identify effective result of increasing understanding and indicators on locating prone areas of acceptance of environmental protection ecotourism in Mazandaran Province, and and sustainability (Seydayi, et.al, 2012). secondly, to determine the importance of each indicator. For the second purpose, 4- Research Method Delphi method was combined with Fuzzy Geographical Scope of the Research AHP. Mazandaran Province, with a land Thus, given previous researches, area of 23842 square kilometers, centrality sample size includes 48 M.Sc. and Ph.D. of , is located in geographical location students and professors of urban development between 35 degrees and 46 minutes, 35 and tourism. However, due to the possibility degrees, and 58 minutes north latitude, of not returning all questionnaires from and 50 degrees and 21 minutes, and 8 them, 100 ones were distributed in May minutes east adjacent to Caspian Sea in 2012. 51 of them were returned. In this the north, with in the period, in order to specify indicators, an east, with Semnan, , and Qazvin open-ended question was raised. This Provinces in the south, and with Gilan means that the question was “given features Province in the west. According to the and limitations of Mazandaran Province, census of housing and population in 2011, what indicators can be regarded to the province has a population of 3073943 identify prone areas of ecotourism in the people. 931469 households live in Province?” After checking questionnaires, Mazandaran Province. It has 20 cities, 55 incomprehensible and repetitive indices counties, 58 town, 129 villages and 2975 were removed. Finally, 23 indicators or hamlets. The climate is almost Mediterranean sub-criterion in the form of four main (Statistical Center of Iran, 2011) (Bakhtiyari criteria were selected on the recommendation

Downloaded from iueam.ir at 3:55 +0330 on Tuesday September 28th 2021 & research center of cosmography, 2005). of experts. The second period was started Determining Sample Size in August 2012. In order to specify By using Tsaur et.al, (2006), and participants’ consent with selected criteria environmental comparison in three groups and sub-criteria, Likert-scale questionnaire of related funds (resources-community, was designed and presented to community-resource, and resource-tourism), participants along with the results of the and considering minimum ability of 80 first period. Among them, 50 ones were per cent for ANOVA1, and significance returned. 50 percent of participants agreed level of 0.5, the mean weights of the 4 criteria and 18 sub-criteria. In the index in three groups are respectively following, t-test was used to ensure about (6.22, 6.43, and 9.24), and standard experts’ views in the first period deviation of 2.40, sample size is 16 for compared to the second one. The results each group and totally 48. The sample indicated that α=0.05 and P-value of all size was performed using NCSS & PASS indicators are more than 0.05 indicating software. participants’ consensus in the first period to the second one.

1- One-Way Analysis of Variance Tourism Environmental Zoning Powers …______37

Given selected criteria are not questionnaire, for the convenience of effective on locating prone areas of comparison, the linguistic variables were ecotourism equally, to determine the used in Table 1. Each pair criteria are importance of each factor, another compared individually. Finally, given the questionnaire was prepared, distributed expertise of each participant, 49 final among 50 experts in November 2012, and questionnaires were combined together 49 of them were returned. In this by using weight average function.

Effective factors on locating prone areas of ecotourism in Mazandaran Province

Tourist facilities and services Tourism potential Natural hazards Communication network

Beaches Infrastructures Flood Airport

Rivers Residential and Fault entertainment centers Railway Forests Medical centers Buoyancy Road paths Waterfalls Tourism and travel agencies Secondary Lakes, swamps and wetlands roads

Main roads Country and mountain areas

Protected areas

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Fig1. Effective factors on locating prone areas of ecotourism in Mazandaran Province Reference: (Researcher’s findings)

Cumulative Matrix of Pairwise Comparisons will be explained in the following (Chen, Generally, the relative importance of 2012). each decision cannot be equal in decision- Suppose E  E1,E2,,EK  is total making process given decision-makers’    , ,,  expertise and experience since some decision-makers, and 1 2 K experts may have more experience than is weight vector related to relative other ones in one issue. Thus, to collect importance of decision-makers. We have K data from experts, their relative   0,1  1 Ak  (ak ) k   and k 1 k . Assume ij ij importance should be counted on is the result of binary comparison of i simultaneously. This is possible by using E  a weighted average (WA). This method than j related with k decision-maker k . The weighted average function (WA) on

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k will be the result of binary comparisons options. This method is described below.

of k decision-maker as follows: Assume { } is total 1 2 K 1 2 K Aij WA(Aij , Aij ,..., Aij )  (1.Aij )  ( 2.Aij ) ... ( K .Aij ) decision-makers related to decision- K K K K  k k k k  making process. Assume π ( )   k  a1ij , k  a2ij , k  a3ij , k  a4ij  i, j 1,2,...,n  k 1 k 1 k 1 k 1  )1( is decision-makers’ weight vector. In addition, cumulative comparison for is and we have

matrix is defined as follows: ∑ . All binary comparisons in  1 A12  A12 this method are performed using trapezoidal   ~ A 1  A A   12 12 fuzzy numbers. For convenience, we         recommend decision-makers to use A12 A12  1  )2( linguistic values for paired comparisons. Fuzzy AHP Method A trapezoid fuzzy number attribute is The method presented here for the given to each of these linguistic values as fuzzy AHP method is classical structure. represented in Table 1 (Zheng et al., This method will be used to calculate 2012). relative weight and total weights of

Table1. Conversion of linguistic values to the trapezoidal fuzzy numbers* The relative importance of Linguistic variables Trapezoidal fuzzy numbers values (absolute numbers) Equally important (1,1,1,1,1) 1 Slightly better (5, 2.7,2.4,2) 3 Better (more favorable) (4,9.2,11.2,6) 5 Much better (6,13.2,15.2,8) 7 Excellent (8,17.2,9,9) 9

( ⁄ ⁄ ) Intermediate values x= 2, 4, 6, 8

* For more convenience of decision-makers, paired comparisons were done by linguistic variables. In the following, to calculate relative weight in Fuzzy AHP method, trapezoidal fuzzy numbers have been represented in table1. The

Downloaded from iueam.ir at 3:55 +0330 on Tuesday September 28th 2021 alternative of linguistic variables will be replaced. Reference: (Zheng et al., 2012)

Calculating Relative Weight and Total Weight ⁄ [∏ ] )5( of Options in Fuzzy AHP Method

⁄ In this method, to calculate relative [∏ ] )6( weigh of all cumulative matrixes, following ⁄ method will be used: [∏ ] )7( Consider ̃ is Cumulative decision Moreover, we have:

matrix. If any element of this matrix that ∑ )8(

is a trapezoidal fuzzy number displays as ∑ )9(

follow (Zheng et al., 2012): ∑ )11( ̇ ( ) (3) ∑ )11( Relative weight of each element in The weight of each matrix in cumulative this matrix can be calculated as follows: decision matrix will be: ⁄ ̃ [ ̃ ̃ ̃ ] )12( [∏ ] )4( Tourism Environmental Zoning Powers …______39

The vector of relative weight for each MATLAB software. For weighting the cumulative decision matrix is: studied indicators, we should move from

̃ ( ) )13( the lowest level of decision-making toward purpose. For instance, secondary 5- Research Findings and main roads are compared as sub- Since presenting model results has criteria to the main sub-criterion of road wide operation size, some of major and routes together as represented in table2. prominent situation of running the model As it can be seen, main routes with will be presented. In other words, some standardized score of 0.633 are in higher effective results were explained in the position than secondary routes. form of Fuzzy AHP output from

Table2. A comparison of secondary sub-criteria to main criterion of road routes By-way Main way eigenvalues [(3.614,3.995,4.612,4.925,0.8), By-way [(1,1,1,1,1),(1,1,1,1,1)] 0.367 (2.899,3.603,4.987,5.646,1)] [(0.274,0.306,0.390,0.481,0.8), Main way [(1,1,1,1,1),(1,1,1,1,1)] 0.633 (0.229,0.273,0.471,0.739,1)] Reference:

In the following, three main sub- normalized score, railway with 0.321 criteria of airport, railroad, and road normalized score, and finally road routes routes were compared to main criterion of with normalized score of 0.275 score communicative network (table3). In this were ranked respectively by experts. regard, sub-criteria of airport with 0.403

Table3. A comparison of main sub-criteria to main criteria of communication network Airport Railway Road routes Eigenvalues [(0.973, 1.269, 1.737, [(2.228, 2.595, 3.212, Downloaded from iueam.ir at 3:55 +0330 on Tuesday September 28th 2021 Airport [(1,1,1,1,1),(1,1,1,1,1)] 2.008, 0.8), (0.577, 3.552, 0.8), (1.514, 0.403 1.008, 2.004, 2.502, 1)] 2.203, 3.587, 4.246, 1)] [(0.302, 0.340, 0.439, [(0.932, 1.099, 1.412, Railway 0.548, 0.8), (0.252, [(1,1,1,1,1),(1,1,1,1,1)] 1.656, 0.8), (0.717, 0.321 0.302, 0.530, 0.827, 1)] 0.955, 1.639, 2.262)] [(0.315, 0.358, 0.479, [(0.973, 1.269, 1.737, Road routes 0.616, 0.8, 0.257, 2.008, 0.8), (0.577, [(1,1,1,1,1),(1,1,1,1,1)] 0.275 0.313, 0.602, 1.053, 1)] 1.008, 2.004, 2.502, 1)] Reference: (Researchers’ calculations)

Table4 represents paired matrix of tourism potential has the highest main criteria comparison to purpose. As it importance among main criteria with can be seen, each element consists of an relative normalized weight of 0.311. interval fuzzy number that is the outcome Communication network with normalized of experts’ views by using WA matrix score of 0.277, natural hazards with (equation2). Relative weight of each normalized score of 0.271, and travel element in this matrix can be obtained by facilities and services with normalized using this method. The criterion of score of 0.120 ranked respectively.

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Table4. Paired comparison of main criteria to purpose Communication network Natural hazards Tourism potential Travel facilities and services Eigenvalue [(0.228, 2.595, 0.228, 2.595, Communication [(0.323, 0.269, 2.737, 2.008, 0.8), [(1.851, 2.284, 2.621, 3.278, 0.8), [(1,1,1,1,1),(1,1,1,1,1)] 3.262, 3.552, 0.8), (1.514, 2.203, 0.277 network (0.577, 1.008, 2.014, 2.502, 1)] (1.303, 1.915, 3.278, 3.921, 1)] 3.587, 6.246, 1)] [(0.332, 1.099, 1.412, 1.356, 0.83), [(0.202, 0.740, 0.439, 0.501, 0.8), [(1/848,2/384,3/121,3/378,1/8), Natural hazards [(1,1,1,1,1),(1,1,1,1,1)] 0.271 (0.717, 0.955, 1.639, 2.252,1)] (0.252, 0.302, 0.530, 0.827, 1)] (1/411,2/115,3/378,4/121,1)] [(0.312, 0.353, 0.461, 0.432, 0.8) [(1.848, 2.384, 3.021, 3.358, 0.8), [(3.614, 3.965, 4.612, 4.905, 0.8), Tourism potential [(1,1,1,1,1),(1,1,1,1,1)] 0.311 (0.259, 0.312, 0.563)] (1.420, 2.025, 3.378, 4.021, 1)] (2.899, 3.663, 4.987, 5.646, 1)] Travel facilities [(1/315,1/348,1/439,1/616,1/8), [(0.301, 0.320, 0.739, 0.546, 0.8), [(0.874, 0.306, 0.399, 0.461, 0.8), [(1,1,1,1,1),(1,1,1,1,1)] 0.120 and services (1/257,1/313,1/612,1/133,1)] (0.252, 0.302, 0.530, 0.827, 1)] (0.229, 0.273, 0.471, 0.799, 1)] Reference: (Researchers’ calculations) In the next step, sub-criteria are by using equations 3 to 13. Then, using compared to main criteria in pair. For this the center of gravity method, the relative purpose, relative eight of elements weights were defuzzified to change consisting of each cumulative decision absolute numbers as represented in table5. matrix in fuzzy numbers can be obtained Table5. Effective criteria on locating prone areas of tourism in Mazandaran Province Final The weight of secondary Third level (secondary Final The weight of main Second level (main sub- The weight of First level (main weight sub-criteria sub-criteria) weight sub-criteria criteria) main criteria criteria) 0.110 0.398 Airport

0.088 0.316 Railway Communication 0.277 0.028 0.367 Secondary route network 0.075 0.271 Road routes 0.048 0.633 Main route 0.141 0.522 Flood 0.038 0.14 Fault 0.271 Natural hazards 0.088 0.323 Buoyancy 0.097 0.311 Beaches 0.034 0.109 Rivers 0.069 0.223 Forests 0.023 0.074 Waterfalls 0.019 0.061 Lakes, wetlands, lagoons 0.311 Tourism potential Country and mountain 0.026 0.085 areas 0.021 0.067 Protected areas Springs and mineral 0.016 0.052 waters 0.043 0.357 Infrastructures Residential and 0.032 0.268 Travel facilities and entertainment centers 0.120 service 0.025 0.208 Medical centers 0.020 0.168 Travel agencies Downloaded from iueam.ir at 3:55 +0330 on Tuesday September 28th 2021 Reference: (Researchers’ findings) The weight of main and secondary integrating data with spatial capability, as sub-criteria and final weight have been a system supporting decision-making calculated separately. Among sub-criteria (Hai-ling & Liang-qiang, 2011). Practically, related to communication network, it helps managers to know about events airport, with normalized score of 0.398, affected by different decisions and had the highest importance, and the most scenarios (Boers & Cottrell, 2007). important ecotourism potential in this Tourism industry is beyond an industry, province are beaches (0.311), and then as a global and social phenomenon with forests (0.223). specific features (Zarrabi & Safarabadi, Identifying Prone Areas of Ecotourism 2013). Its features and limitations need to Development be identified in any area. Thus, according The use of approach based on GIS is to experts’ views, four main criteria of very effective to identify prone areas of communication network, natural hazards, ecotourism development since this system tourism potential, and travel services and has exclusive features in designing, facilities, that each of them has sub- classifying, weighting, analyzing, and criteria, have been considered in this research. Tourism Environmental Zoning Powers …______41

A combination of AHP and Fuzzy specific weight was given to each layer. sets was used to evaluate selected factors By using Raster Calculator tool, and GIS was used to analyze spatial data. overlapping operation performed on data Thus, after prioritization of effective layers. Four obtained maps have been factors with the help of Fuzzy AHP, represented below.

(1(

(2(

(3)

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(4(

Fig2- (1) Communication networks, dark area with the greatest access (2) natural hazards, dark areas with the greatest amount of natural hazards (3) ecotourism potential, dark areas with the highest potential for ecotourism, (4) travel facilities and services, dark areas with the best accommodations and travel services Reference: (Researchers’ findings)

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In the following, given the weight of Mazandaran Province. It is worth mentioning each main criterion and repeating the for better readability, the output of maps above process, map1 represents prone has been graded on a scale of 9-0 from areas of ecotourism development in the worst to the best areas.

Map1. Prone areas of ecotourism in Mazandaran Province by integrating main criteria, dark areas represent the highest potential for ecotourism Reference: (Researchers’ findings)

In order to ensure test accuracy of investing in the province, 56 sample final output, introduced as prone areas of tourism centers were identified in ecotourism in the Province, firstly, the Mazandaran Province. For each of these area of each utility of 0 to 9 (from the areas, a belt or buffer to a distance of 1 to worst to the best represented in the guide 5 kilometers was considered. Then, the of map1), has been calculated in the area of utility from 0 to 9 was calculated Province. separately in each of these buffers of 1 to In the following, to ensure the utility, 5 km. Finally, the average area of buffers for example utility 9 has the best area for was calculated separately as represented

Downloaded from iueam.ir at 3:55 +0330 on Tuesday September 28th 2021 ecotourism and the highest capacity for in table6.

Table6. The area and percentage of utilities in the Province and scope of prominent tourism areas Area The average size of Percent of the Utility Area percentage buffers in prominent buffers in the index (Province) (Province) tourism areas tourism 1 1316181196 5.5 216399136 1.7 1 2141411667 8.6 393784753 3.3 2 2961115156 12.5 786768843 6.6 3 4583111877 19.3 1773336126 14.8 4 3895711175 16.4 2775391463 23.1 5 3142791181 12.8 2148592199 17.1 6 1261329113 5.3 955313614 8 7 1112175759 4.7 882521419 7.3 8 2172656418 8.7 1182377149 9 9 1576139778 6.6 1117118361 9.2 Reference: (Researchers’ findings)

Tourism Environmental Zoning Powers …______43

As it can be seen, areas with the for protecting natural resources in this utility of 9 i.e. the highest potential for province, and providing sustainable ecotourism development in the province, financial resources for urban management has allotted 6.6 percent to itself. This is as well. By focusing on prone areas of 9.2 percent in the buffers of tourism ecotourism development, urban management center. For the utility of 0 i.e. the least can prepare grounds that are more potential for ecotourism development appropriate. Explaining the outcome, in the province, this figure is 5.5 percent natural resources of the province are while it is only 1.7 percent in the attractive center in this type of tourism. surrounding areas of tourism centers. For Thus, to provide infrastructures, there is the average of lower utilities (0 to no need for massive investment. By 4) in Mazandaran Province, the average more accurate planning, considerable of 12.4 percent has been considered while return on investment (ROI) can be this figure is 9.9 percent for the best prepared for urban management. tourism centers. Conversely, in higher In this regard, since ecotourism aims five utilities (5 to 9) in the Province, the to take advantage of natural beauties average of 7.6 percent has been regarded and stunning visions, identifying prone while this figure is 10.1 percent for areas of ecotourism development is tourism areas. This indicates that counted as the first step in this area. identified areas were in the closest Because of complexity, it needs to distance to the prominent tourism areas in consider several criteria for evaluation; the Province and the farthest with therefore, Fuzzy AHP was used in this undesirable ones. research to consider multiple criteria and use linguistic values to for evaluation, 6- Conclusion and S uggestions and to able to combat against uncertainty In terms of tourism attractions, Iran in linguistic values. The results indicated enjoys a variety of climates, environments that the criterion of tourism potential,

Downloaded from iueam.ir at 3:55 +0330 on Tuesday September 28th 2021 and seasons. In terms of recreational areas with relative normalized weight of 0.311, and natural beauties, it is equal had the greatest importance among main with developed countries in the tourism criteria. Communication network, natural industry. Today, a very important part hazards, and finally travel facilities of tourism activities in the world is and services ranked next respectively. based on natural resources. Given the The most important sub-criteria related to abundant natural features, Mazandaran the potential in the Province were beaches Province is of great importance and it (0.311), and forests (0.223) respectively. hosts many tourists from Iran and the It is worth mentioning that spatial world annually. However, there are some analysis was done in GIS to enable problems in this area. Ecotourism optimum display to be provided for development has a crucial role in the ecotourism development in the province protection of these resources in the (map1). Identified areas were in closest province. distance with prominent tourism centers This research aims to identify and farthest with undesirable areas prone areas of ecotourism in Mazandaran indicating one of the strengths of this Province in order to prepare the ground research.

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The final output of this research use of them in other areas need to be (map1) specifies a range of priorities and investigated. investment capabilities. This means that areas with the priority of 9 were in very 7- References special conditions in terms of natural Akbari, S., Bemaniyan, A. (2008). Rural features, safety against natural hazards, ecotourism and its role in sustainable access to communication network and development of Kandovan village, village and development, 11(1), 131-150. tourism facilities. As we move toward Amirahmadi, A., Mozaffari, H. (2012). An low priorities, the capabilities would be analysis of appropriate areas of ecotourism reduced. development in Zanjan Province by using The areas that are a combination of GIS, Quarterly Journal of Geographical the most important effective factors on Researches, 27(3(106)), 135-150. locating ecotourism of Mazandaran Bakhtiyari, S., Research and compilation unit Province from the perspective of experts of cosmography. (2005). Atlas of Astronomy are of great importance for private sector of Iranian provinces, 4th edition, Tehran: and urban management. It has introduced Publications Institute of Geography and special investment opportunities to private Cartography of Cosmography. sector. Urban management can provide Behniyafar, A., & Mansoori Daneshvar, M. (2010). Spatial Planning zoning many socio-economic benefits for host with multi-agent evaluation and AHP society by adopting financial policies in model to develop tourism in GIS case line with supporting it. Purposeful study: Golmakan Basin. Geographical and accurate use of exclusive features of Journal of Environmental planning, natural tourism in Mazandaran Province 3(9), 1-18. can create employment, reduce Biranvand, E. (2008). Spatial analysis of natural unemployment in this province, and tourism attractions of Khorramabad, have positive impact on increasing M.Sc. thesis of rural geography, University employment in adjacent provinces. of Isfahan.

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