Analyze Formation Factors of Spatial Policies Affecting Tourism Development in Rural Areas (Case Study: Khuzestan Province)

Extended Abstract

Introduction

With the advancement of human societies, tourism has evolved into a key industry in the global economy, facilitating better access to sustainable development goals. Khuzestan, despite its significant environmental and human resources, has faced a myriad of unresolved challenges at both macro and sectoral levels, particularly in the tourism sector, despite governmental oversight, state interest, and extensive investment in various dimensions to enhance and improve public services, infrastructure, and accelerate the province's development. Tourism has been a transformative economic sector in generating employment and income, yet it has been neglected or faced numerous challenges in the province. Over the past decade, despite the province attracting an average of 302,668 foreign tourists, accounting for 6.08% of the country's average during that period, and hosting an average of 2,082,720 domestic overnight stays during the comfortable climate days, especially in spring, representing 4.68% of the country's average, the sector has seen a decline in the initial years of the new decade, recording 405,583 trips, or 3.96% of the country's average during that period, according to the latest national tourist survey data. This minimum share of the province in the number of tourists and the volume of trips, rather than indicating the lack of attention to the tourism sector, originates from the lack of identification of spatial policies effective on the development of this sector. This fundamental challenge is not only endogenous or, in other words, arising from the lack of design of spatial policies that affect the development of tourism, but its root is the inefficiency of the country's macro-planning and policy-making system. Therefore, the current study aims to analyze the formation factors of spatial policies affecting tourism development in rural areas in Khuzestan province. To achieve this goal, the research questions are formulated as follows:

- What are the effective spatial policies for rural tourism development in the province?

- Considering the spatial policies, what is the status of rural tourism development in the province?



Methodology

The research methodology employed in this study is descriptive and analytical, utilizing both document analysis and survey techniques. Initially, relevant regional documents about the research topic in Khuzestan province were identified, resulting in 158 sub-categories extracted from the Tourism Development Master Document, 134 from the Khuzestan Spatial Planning Document, 79 sub-categories from the Khuzestan Economic Revolution Strategic Document, and 39 sub-categories from the Khuzestan Suitable Management Model Document. In total, 410 sub-categories were included in 12 categories describing the formation factors of spatial policies related to rural tourism development in the province. The sub-categories were implemented as questionnaire items using a Likert scale. In this research, a group of 35 experts from seven organizations in the province was formed to complete the questionnaire. After identifying the categories that define the spatial policies, the indicators for rural tourism development in the province were determined. This involved extracting 69 variables, which were then organized into seven criteria and ultimately categorized into two dimensions, such as tourism facilities and tourist attractions. The research used FAHP, CRITIC, CILOS, Entropy, and SOWIA to understand the spatial policies related to rural tourism development in the province. Kendall's and Spearman's correlation tests were used to analyze the impact of spatial policies on the overall levels of rural tourism development. Fuzzy TOPSIS, Fuzzy VIKOER, Fuzzy ELECTRE, Fuzzy WASPAS, and Fuzzy ARAS methods were used to stratify the counties of Khuzestan province based on the interaction of the spatial policies categories and the overall levels of rural tourism development.



Results and discussion

The final coefficients of the categories of spatial policies obtained from the average weights of Multi-Criteria Methods showed that the categories of agricultural economy and production, cultural and natural capabilities, and territorial structure balance with scores between 0.10 and 0.09, and marketing, advertising, and branding, public infrastructure and facilities, and human and environmental risk management with obtaining values between 0.08 and 0.07, they obtained the highest and lowest weights, respectively. Also, to identify spatial policies affecting rural tourism development, the correlation test results indicated that, except for the agricultural economy and production, other categories had established a meaningful and positive relationship with the overall levels of rural tourism development in the province. Furthermore, the results of combining Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision-Making methods with the Geographic Information System to determine the state of rural tourism development in provincial cities based on the interaction of the general levels of this flow with the categories of spatial policies showed that the share of suitable, medium, and unsuitable classes in the region is 20.0% or six counties, 26.7% or eight counties and 53.3% or sixteen counties respectively.

The research results showed that the economy and agricultural production are in the best situation among spatial policies related to rural tourism development in the province. However, the only category of policies that have not established a meaningful and positive relationship with rural tourism development in the province is this category. This finding is consistent with the results of Gao & Zheng (2024) and contradicts the study by Fu et al. (2024). Other categories of spatial policies, such as cultural and natural capabilities, have had a significant positive impact on the development of rural tourism in the province. This is consistent with the findings of Roumiani et al. (2021), who considered diversity and quality of attractions important. Additionally, the balance of territorial structure and regional management and policy-making have been identified as policies with the best status, but they have had less impact compared to other categories.



Conclusion

Since more than half of Khuzestan province is in unfavorable conditions in terms of rural tourism development, it is necessary to design and implement effective spatial policies on this trend. These policies should be prepared in a targeted and scientific manner, continuously monitored, and updated. In addition, they should be compatible with the conditions of the environment or the country and take into account the local and regional characteristics, traditions, and developments of the modern world.