تأثیر توسعه اکوتوریسم بر توانمندسازی زنان روستایی منطقه الموت غربی

A B S T R A C T
The discussion of women's empowerment has gained special importance in recent years. According to the extent of this issue, the current research was conducted to investigate the impact of ecotourism development on the empowerment of rural women in the western Alamut region. The study's statistical population comprised rural women in the west Alamut section of Qazvin, and 9 villages were selected as sample villages. Using Cochran's formula, a sample size of 283 people was obtained, which was increased to 290 people. Statistical methods such as one-sample T, Pearson, multiple regression, and binomial nonparametric tests were used in SPSS software to analyze data. The results showed that the development of ecotourism had an effect on the economic empowerment of women in the villages of the western Alamut region with an average of 3/47, social empowerment with an average of 3/42, and environmental empowerment with an average of 3/32, but its effects on the psychological empowerment of rural women with an average of 3/18 is less. Also, the women of Joynek, Parrod, and Sefid Ab villages have the most influence and the women of Belkan, Kaman, and Dastjard Sofeli villages have the least impact on ecotourism development in the region. Therefore, considering the impact of ecotourism development on rural women's economic, social, and environmental empowerment, providing ecotourism and tourism training to them periodically will invite the new generation to try and the needs of ecotourists will be better identified for the local community
Extended abstract
Introduction
Considering the existence of gender inequalities that are mainly seen against women in many societies, the discussion of their empowerment has gained special importance in recent years. In this context, many researchers have emphasized the effectiveness of ecotourism in empowering local communities by attracting their participation in tourism activities. Western Alamut region, which is the study area of this research, as one of the rich regions in terms of ecotourism attractions, has suitable places for tourism-based planning. This area is very diverse and beautiful with geological, geographical, and biological places, works, and phenomena, if these attractions are located and identified and properly informed and security facilities are created, it can become one of the prominent ecotourism stations at the regional, national, and international levels. Creating a business based on ecotourism in this region needs to be investigated and identified due to its potential and rare characteristics. Because the western Alamut region is one of the rich regions in terms of ecotourism attractions, therefore, the present study investigates the impact of ecotourism development on the empowerment of rural women in this region.
 
Methodology
Considering the importance of this issue, the current research was conducted to investigate the impact of ecotourism development on the empowerment of rural women in the western Alamut region. The statistical population of the study was made up of rural women in the western Alamut section of Qazvin, and due to the dispersion of villages and their large number, 9 villages (3 from each village are tourism target villages) were selected as sample villages. Using Cochran's formula, a sample size of 283 people was obtained, which was increased to 290 people. To analyze the data, statistical methods such as one-sample T, Pearson, multiple regression, and binomial nonparametric tests were used in SPSS software.
 
Results and discussion
The results showed that the development of ecotourism had an effect on the economic empowerment of women in the villages of Western Alamut region with an average of 3/47, social empowerment with an average of 3/42, and environmental empowerment with an average of 3/32, but its effects on the psychological empowerment of rural women with an average of 3/18 is less. Also, the women of Joynek, Parrod, and Sefid Ab villages have the highest influence and the women of Belkan, Kaman, and Dastjard Sofeli villages have the least impact on ecotourism development in the region.
Recognizing women's abilities and believing in their role in society is a process that has gradually started in all developing countries. Because women, as half of the human population, are considered not only the subject and goal of any development program but also a factor in advancing rural society's economic and social development goals. Considering that the empowerment of rural women is possible in different ways; one of these ways to develop the empowerment of rural women is ecotourism and rural tourism, which can provide diverse opportunities for the empowerment of rural women. The empowerment of rural women is an effort to improve their economic, social, and cultural levels, because today, in the development discussions at the international level, the presence of the citizen is emphasized in the process of formulating policies and implementing them. However, citizens with the necessary capacity, ability, and capability can participate.
 
Conclusion
The effects of ecotourism development in the economic empowerment of rural women with a score of 954/85 are more than social empowerment with a score of 895/24, psychological empowerment with a score of 651/63, and environmental empowerment with a score of 580/09. According to the results in the field of economic empowerment, the women of Joynak village (score 194/25) had the highest influence, and the village of Dastjard Sefali (score 112/54) had the least influence from the development of ecotourism. In the field of social empowerment of women, Sefid Ab village (score 126/45) has the most influence and Belkan village (score 85/12) has the least influence, in the field of psychological empowerment of women, Sefid Ab village (score 126/45) has the most influence and Kaman village (score 59/16) The least influence and in the field of environmental empowerment, the women of Belkan village (score 85/27) have the most influence and Fanfin village (score 48/89) have the least influence from the development of ecotourism in the region. In terms of the total score of the four dimensions, the women of Joynek, Parrod, and Sefid Ab villages have the highest influence, and the women of Belkan, Kaman, and Dastjard Sefali villages have the least impact on the development of ecotourism.
 
Funding
This research project was carried out using the special research credit of Semnan University with project number 140385 i/1403/226.
 
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
 We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.