Owner & Primary Publisher: University of Tehran; Journal of Rural Research 2008-7373 15 2 2024 08 22 Spatial Planning of Tourism Development in Rural Areas of Markazi Province Spatial Planning of Tourism Development in Rural Areas of Markazi Province 350 363 96154 10.22059/jrur.2024.370256.1902 FA Razieh Nouri PhD Student, Department of Geographical Sciences and Planning, Faculty of Geographical Sciences and Planning, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran. Abbas Amini Associate Professor, Department of Geographical Sciences and Planning, Faculty of Geographical Sciences and Planning, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran. Journal Article 2024 01 03 Planning for sustainability of rural tourism requires basic spatial studies. So far, more than 30 villages in the Markazi province have been targeted as key villages of rural tourism, which are not necessarily all susceptible to sustainable tourism development, nor are such capabilities limited to this number. This research, as a basic spatial study in rural tourism planning and policy-making, has focused on 130 tourism-related villages across the province. The needed data were gathered primarily by self-designing a comprehensive worksheet, including the location of villages, structural and human prerequisites of tourism, types of attractions and exploitable tangible and intangible heritage, job opportunities, products and events, and drivers and obstacles of rural tourism development. Considering the three principal components of "heritage and tourist attractions," "tourism infrastructure and facilities," and "tourism employment and entrepreneurship" as necessary prerequisites and desirable outcomes, four distinct groups were identified for strategic planning of rural tourism. Only ten villages were prone to sustainability in tourism development with a simultaneous favorable situation in all triple dimensions. On the other hand, tourism was found to be an inappropriate option for 22 villages, lacking strategic priority in 48 other villages. More importantly, 50 villages with the ability and priority to realize the development and sustainability of tourism were also identified and introduced in three distinct subgroups with different strategic requirements in policy making and planning. Planning for sustainability of rural tourism requires basic spatial studies. So far, more than 30 villages in the Markazi province have been targeted as key villages of rural tourism, which are not necessarily all susceptible to sustainable tourism development, nor are such capabilities limited to this number. This research, as a basic spatial study in rural tourism planning and policy-making, has focused on 130 tourism-related villages across the province. The needed data were gathered primarily by self-designing a comprehensive worksheet, including the location of villages, structural and human prerequisites of tourism, types of attractions and exploitable tangible and intangible heritage, job opportunities, products and events, and drivers and obstacles of rural tourism development. Considering the three principal components of "heritage and tourist attractions," "tourism infrastructure and facilities," and "tourism employment and entrepreneurship" as necessary prerequisites and desirable outcomes, four distinct groups were identified for strategic planning of rural tourism. Only ten villages were prone to sustainability in tourism development with a simultaneous favorable situation in all triple dimensions. On the other hand, tourism was found to be an inappropriate option for 22 villages, lacking strategic priority in 48 other villages. More importantly, 50 villages with the ability and priority to realize the development and sustainability of tourism were also identified and introduced in three distinct subgroups with different strategic requirements in policy making and planning. https://jrur.ut.ac.ir/article_96154_0a35397ed8000a09987114013ac0da2c.pdf