درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Purpose- Social sustainability, especially in rural areas, is one of the most important goals of policymakers, planners and managers. However, social sustainability in local communities, such as villages, can be challenged through environmental instabilities. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to analyze the tensions and social dangers in rural areas of Neyshabur, one of the provinces of Iran. Design/methodology/approach- In order to measure the relationship between the independent variable of drought and the dependent variable of social tension, 24 variables were identified in the context of drought, existing tensions and social damage caused by water scarcity in the study area. The required information was collected from documentary studies and also through interviews and questionnaires. One-sample t-test, Pearson correlation, single-variable regression, and VIKOR model were used to analyze the data. Findings- The results show that there is a relationship between water deficit deduced from drought and 22 social unsustainability variables. Based on the results of the regression test and the amount of obtained beta, respectively, the greatest effects of water shortages deduced from drought was on intensifying rural poverty (0.932), increasing living expenses (0.931), and the destruction of small crop and small cultivation (0.924). Also, the results of the VIKOR model showed that there is a difference between the studied villages in terms of the severity of social tensions. Originality/value- This study has been promising to focus on the effects of drought and water scarcity as an environmental unsustainability in shaping and exacerbating tensions and social injuries. Therefore, the results of this study can be effective in recognizing the social impacts of environmental changes in geographical areas and countries facing environmental changes.

Purpose- Ecotourism is a foundation of sustainable development of societies and a way for conserving natural landscapes and reservoirs. In this regard, rural tourism, especially rural ecotourism, is a sort of tourism that can be highly effective in the revival of villages considering the natural and cultural capacities of these areas. So, this research analyzes the infrastructure for the development of rural ecotourism in Ardabil province, Iran. Design/methodology/approach - The research is an applied study in goal and an analytical study in nature. The research realm includes 311 villages with a population of over 500 people in Ardabil province. The research adopted the TOPSIS model. The criteria used to measure the ecotourism potential included healthcare, transportation infrastructure, business and services, information technology, energy, and cultural, sports, and religious infrastructure. Weights were assigned by experts to the criteria based on their importance. Finding- The results showed that the villages with the highest potential for the development of rural ecotourism in the counties of Ardabil, Bileh Savar, Parsabad, Khalkhal, Sareyn, Kowsar, Germi, Meshgin Shahr, Nir, and Namin included Somarin, Gug Tappeh, Shahrak-e Gharbi, Shal, Ardi Musa, Zarjabad, Qarah Aghaj-e Pain, Alni, Virseq, and Anbaran-e Olya. In this regard, the village of Anbaran-e Olya in Namin exhibits the best performance across the province with a CL score of 1. Out of all studied villages, 86 percent were placed in the moderate and low category, 2 percent in the very high category, 8 percent in the high category, and 4 percent in the very low category. Research limitations/implications - The main limitation of the research is the lack of access to up-to-date information. Practical implications - Given the results, it is recommended to invest in villages that have the potential for ecotourism, thereby contributing to attracting tourists and converting them into rural tourism hubs. Originality/value - The analysis of the potential of Ardabil province, which is a tourist destination, for the development of rural ecotourism can help identify touristy villages to focus on their prosperity.

Purpose- To develop agritourism, based on the supply and demand framework, it is essential to understand the preferences of tourists as well as the tendency and capabilities of the local community to participate in the development of agritourism. The study aims to examine tourists’ preferences, gardeners’ preferences and capabilities for agritourism activities, and to compare tourists’ preferences and gardeners’ preferences and capabilities regarding agritourism activities.Design/methodology/approach- The research method is a descriptive-analytical type carried out by a survey method. The study population consisted of 109 apple gardeners the 15 sample villages of Semirom County who were selected using a targeted sampling method, and 252 tourists who visited the sample villages. The data were collected using two researcher-designed questionnaires. To analyze the data, SPSS software along with inferential statistical methods, including One-sample t-test and Friedman were used.Findings- The findings indicated that tourists' demand for agritourism activities is high and they are interested in all types of agritourism activities. Gardeners are willing to provide agritourism activities, but they have low capability to offer them to tourists. Also, the findings indicated no match between the demand and supply for agritourism activities; Tourists’ main preferences were for Agri-recreation, Agri-experience and Agri-accommodation, and food services, while the tendency and capability of gardeners were more about agri-entertainment and Agri-education.Practical implications- The findings will be useful for tourism planners to develop optimal strategies for developing agritourism with a better understanding of the behaviors and preferences of tourists as well as the willingness and ability of gardeners.Original/value- Using the integrated supply and demand framework to analyze the gap between tourists' preferences and gardeners' capabilities for agritourism activities is the innovations of the research.