Formulating policies and prioritizing components of the epitourism model for local and regional sustainable development in the Taleghan region
Subject Areas : UrbanismMohsen Naderi 1 , Rahim Sarvar 2 , Tahmineh Daniali 3
1 - Department of Geography and Rural Planning, SR.C.,, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Department of Geography and Urban Planning, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 - Department of Geography and Rural Planning, YI.C.,, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Keywords: Apitourism, regional development, local development, Taleghan, sustainable beekeeping, agricultural tourism, ecotourism,
Abstract :
This study aims to analyze the role of apitourism in regional and local development, focusing on the Taleghan region. Apitourism, as a branch of nature-based tourism that focuses on beekeeping, bee products, and cultural-environmental experiences, has received attention in recent years due to its high potential for sustainable development. Taleghan region, with its unique climatic features, rich biodiversity, and long history of beekeeping, was selected as a potential destination for apitourism. This study, using quantitative and qualitative methods, including advanced statistical analysis and interviews with experts, examined the components and indicators of apitourism in regional and local development. The findings of the study show that apitourism contributes to the development of Taleghan through five main components: environmental, economic, socio-cultural, infrastructure, and management-policy. The environmental component, with its emphasis on preserving biodiversity and using organic methods, plays an indirect role in strengthening the local economy. The economic component helps improve the livelihoods of local communities by creating jobs and increasing beekeepers' income. The socio-cultural component ensures cultural sustainability by reviving beekeeping traditions and strengthening local identity. The infrastructure component provides high-quality experiences for tourists by developing ecotourism accommodations and educational centers. Finally, the management-policy component facilitates coordination between other components through supportive policies and coherent planning. The results showed that the infrastructure component with an average of 3.362 and the management component with an average of 3.378 have the highest impact on the development of apitourism. However, challenges such as lack of digital infrastructure, poor cultural documentation, and inadequate financial support for beekeepers were identified. This study presents an indigenous model for developing apitourism in Taleghan that emphasizes multidimensional sustainability (environmental, economic, and socio-cultural).
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