Recognition and analysis of tourism development policies (Case study: Dehdez city in Despart County)

Subject Areas : Urban policy

Mashood Safari Aliakbari ¹ ( Assistant of Professor Geography, Payame Noor University,Iran )
hojatollah sadeghi ² ( PhD in Geography and Rural Planning,Isfahan University, Iran )

Received: 2021-08-19 Accepted : 2021-09-25 Published : 2021-04-21

Keywords: Dehdez city, tourism development, Macro and micro policies,

Abstract :

The development of any geographical location depends on its natural and human capacities. What can accelerate or slow down the development of any place is the type of decisions and policies that govern it at the macro to micro levels. Tourism development is no exception to these policies. Therefore, part of tourism development depends on the policies emphasized. The purpose of this study is to identify and then analyze tourism development policies at both macro and micro levels in the form of a case study in Dehdez of  Despart County. The research method is descriptive-analytical and based on field data. The method of data collection in the first stage was interviewing and researching various scientific and executive documents and then completing a questionnaire. The statistical population of the study consists of experts from Despart district offices. Due to the lack of accurate statistics in this field, 50 people were questioned. The validity of the questionnaire was performed and the reliability was confirmed with Cronbach's coefficient above 0.70. The result of one-sample t-test showed that all micro and macro tourism development policies are significant at the level of less than 0.05. Based on the test results, two policies to strengthen cultural ties between the region and neighboring provinces with an average of 4.82 and the formation of tourism information site with an average of 4.58 as the most important macro policies of tourism development and two policies of managers' positive view of tourism capacity with average 4.76 and the diversity of service occupations with an average of 4.74 are known as the most important micro-tourism policies. The regression result also confirmed that in total, macro and micro policies studied can explain more than 71% of the tourism development variable, but macro policies are more effective than micro policies.Extended AbstractIntroduction:The development of any geographical location depends on its natural and human capacities. What can accelerate or slow down the development of any place is the type of decisions and policies that govern it at the macro to micro levels. Tourism development is no exception to these policies. Therefore, part of tourism development depends on the policies emphasized. Dehdez city in Khuzestan province is known as the center of Despart city. This city and the surrounding area can be an important tourist destination due to its geographical location as well as natural capacities. Climatic and ecotourism features, as well as historical attractions, have led to the development of tourism. On the other hand, the formation of Despart city with the center of Dehdez city, which was recently realized in 1400, also makes the necessity of studying such an issue important. In fact, with the formation of Despart city with the focus on the city of Dehdez, there is a need for special planning and study in the field of tourism to be emphasized in order to put the development of tourism in a proper direction. From these narratives, proper decisions and planning can be considered as the first steps. Adoption of appropriate policies can be an important part of the development of tourism in the region and the city of Dehdez. Therefore, it is important to study such an issue, that is, to know the tourism development policies, and it can advance the path of tourism development in this city and region in a more principled way. The purpose of this study is to identify and then analyze tourism development policies at both macro and micro levels as a case study in Dehdez city.MethodologyThe research method is descriptive-analytical in nature and survey research in terms of data collection. Two methods of interviewing experts and a questionnaire were used to collect the research. At first, in order to identify micro and macro policies for tourism development in the study city, by researching various sources and also interviewing some experts in regional offices, some important policies for tourism development in the study area and city were identified and collected. . Then, in the second stage, policies at both micro and macro levels were analyzed and evaluated in the framework of the questionnaire. The statistical population of the study was experts in the regional offices for whom there were no accurate statistics. Therefore, according to the research framework, 50 experts were selected to complete the questionnaire. Sampling was done randomly. Data were analyzed using statistical tests in SPSS software.Results and discussionIn the field of macroeconomic policies for tourism development, the highest frequency was related to branding policy with 70%. In fact, more than 70% of the statistical sample referred to this macroeconomic policy for the development of tourism in the study area and city. In the field of macro-social policies, there are two policies to change the mentality of the world towards the security of the country and the region with 80%. In the field of macro-management policies, 7 policies are known that accelerate the issuance of licenses with 82% in terms of frequency.The most important micro-economic policy for tourism development, which had the most repetition or frequency, was the policy of transportation development with 58% and then the policy of creating micro-tourism funds with 48%. In the field of micro-social policies, the results show that the most important policy in this field is the policy of emphasizing indigenous customs and culture with a frequency of 74% and then the cooperation and interaction of the people with a frequency of 68%. In the field of micro-management policies, the most important policy is the policy of compiling the tourism development document of the city and region with 72% and then the positive view of managers towards tourism capacity with 60%. The table below shows the types of micro-tourism development policies according to their frequency and percentage.Analysis of macro-tourism development policies of the studied city with a sample t-test shows that all variables or policies were significant at the level of less than 0.05. Examining the differences between the average of the mentioned policies confirms that all of them can be useful in the development of tourism from the point of view of the statistical community. Based on the test results, among the macro policies for tourism development, the policy of strengthening cultural ties between the region and neighboring provinces with an average of 4.82 is recognized as the most important macro policy in the field of tourism. The result of one-sample t-test in the field of analysis of micro-policies for tourism development shows that all micro-policies have been significant at the level of less than 0.05. In other words, no significant difference was observed in these areas. Examination of the difference between the mean and t-test of the test confirms that the direction is significant and positive. Examining the test average, it is clear that the most impact was related to the policy of managers' positive view of tourism capacity with an average of 4.76, which is a type of management policy.The micro and macro policies studied are able to explain 71% of the changes (variance) of tourism development in the study city. Explain that micro-policies with 0.308 units predict the tourism development variable, which means predicting 30% of the changes in this variable. Macro-policies have also predicted 0.411 units of the tourism development variable, which means that 41% of the changes in the dependent variable (tourism development) are predicted by the independent variable (macro-policies).ConclusionThe impact of macro policies on tourism development is greater than micro policies. Therefore, the development of tourism in Dehdez city and the surrounding area is possible when all micro and macro policies are emphasized in an integrated manner; The results of the research show the same thing; Because there is a correlation between micro and macro policies, and a change in any of these policies can affect other types as well.

References:

1. Anuar,A.N., Ahmad, H.,Jusoh, H., Hussain,M.(2013). Policy and Tourism Development Strategy towards Tourist Friendly Destination in Kuala Lumpur,  Tasik Chini Biosphere Reserve, Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education,9(2): 180-189.


2. Bahrami, Rahmatollah. (2010). Investigating the capabilities and bottlenecks of rural tourism development in Kurdistan province, 4th International Congress of Geographers of the Islamic World Zahedan University, Sistan and Baluchestan University Press, Zahedan. (In Persian).


3. Buchmann, A., Hussin, N.Z.(2017). Understanding tourism development policies in Malaysia, Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, 11(2): 333-353.


4. Chin, C.H; Lo, M.C; Songan, P ., Nair, V.(2014). Rural Tourism Destination Competitiveness: A study on Annah Rais Longhouse Homestay, Sarawak, Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 144(2): 35 – 44.


5. Desbiolles, F.(2006). More Than an Industry: The Forgotten Power of Tourism as a Social Force, Journal of Tourism Management,27(6):1192–1208.


6. Fartoukzadeh, Hamidreza., Esfandiarpour Boroujeni, Sima., Kiani Feyzabadi, Zohreh ., Rajabi Nahoji, Meysam.(2016). A Study of Tourism Industry Development Policies in Iran Using the System Dynamics Approach,Journal of  Public Policy, 2 (1): 93-119. (In Persian).


7. Ghadami, Mostafah., Tavalaei, Simin., Fatemi, Mohammad Mehdi.(2010). Strategic evaluation of tourism development capabilities: A case study of Fereydunkenar city, Journal of Applied Research in Geographical Sciences, 10 (13): 111-128. (In Persian).


8. Hajinejad, Ali., Paydar, Abuzar., Bagheri, Fatemeh., Ahbdi, Nasser. (2014).Development of a strategic plan for the development of rural tourism in Iran, Strategic and macro policies, 2(8): 111-135. (In Persian).


9. Heidari Chianeh, Rahim., Rezatabeh Azgami, Khadijeh., Soltani, Nasser., Motamedi Mehr, Akbar. (2013). An Analysis of Tourism Policy in Iran, Planning and Tourism Development, 2 (5):11-32. (In Persian).


10. Hosseini, Ali; Mohammadi, Jalil. (2008). Analysis of Soltanieh tourism capabilities and bottlenecks for strategic planning using SWAT analytical model, Journal of Tourism Studies, 35 (1): 35-49.(In Persian).


11. Jafari, Azizollah; Nadalipour, Zahra; Heidarifar, Zahra; Bagheri, Mohsen. (2020). Employment capacity of tourism industry with systems dynamics approach, Journal of Tourism and Development, 9 (3): 153-172. (In Persian).


12. Khalilvand, Kolsoom ., Fattahi, Mohammad ., Mardani, Asia ., Weghofi Yekta, Zahra.(2014). Government Policies in Tourism Development in Iran, The First National Conference on Green Tourism, Hamadan. (In Persian).


13. Mansouri, Ali. (2002). Tourism and Sustainable Development, Journal of Growth Education Geography, 63 (1): 11-43. (In Persian).


14. Meteorological Organization of the country. (2020). Statistics and Information, Tehran. (In Persian).


15. Mirzaei, Rahmat. (2009). The Impact of Rural Tourism Development on Employment in Oramanat Region, Journal of Rural and Development, 12 (4): 49-76. (In Persian).


16. Osman, Z. and Sentosa, I., (2013), Mediating Effect of Customer Satisfaction on Service Quality and Customer Loyalty Relationship in Malaysian Rural .


17. Papli Yazdi, Mohammad Hossein. (2007). Tourism (Nature and Concepts), Tehran: Samat Publishing. (In Persian).


18. Rahimi, Mohammad and Pazand, Fatemeh .(2016), The Pattern of Urban Living Tourism in Iran Using the Analytical Hierarchy Model, Journal of Innovation and Creativity in the Humanities, 6(3): 124-97. (In Persian).


19. Rahmani, Zayn al-Abedin., Parhizkar, Mohammad Mehdi., Amini, Mohammad Taqi., Shirmohammadi, Yazdan.(2013). Factors affecting the implementation of tourism policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Journal of Tourism Management Studies, 24: 183-207. (In Persian).


20. Rezvani, Ali Asghar. (2007). Geography and Tourism Industry, Payam Noor University Press, Fifth Edition, Tehran. (In Persian).


21. Rezvani, Mohammad Reza . (2009). Rural Planning, Tehran: Qoms Publishing. (In Persian).


22. Rokanuddin Eftekhari, Abdolreza; Mahdavi, Davood; Akbari Samani, Nahid. (2013). Presenting a Strategic Planning Model for Sustainable Rural Tourism Development (Case Study of Lavasan Koch County), Journal of Human Geography Research, 45 (3): 123-146. (In Persian).


23. Sandgol, Mehdi; Sharifinia, Zahra. (2015). Investigating the obstacles and problems of tourism development Case study: Ghaemshahr city, Journal of Geography and Regional Planning, 7 (1): 71-83. (In Persian).


24. Sarbazjanfada, Neda ., Shah hosseini, Habib.(2018). Review of tourism industry development policies in Iran, Turkey and Malaysia, 3rd International Conference on Civil Engineering, Architecture and Urban Design, Tabriz. (In Persian).


25. Sharpley, R. (2009). Tourism, Development and the Environment: Beyond Sustainability? London: Earthscan.


26. Shojaei, Manouchehr; Nouri, Noureddin. (2007). Review of government policies in the tourism industry and presenting a model of sustainable development of the country's tourism industry, Journal of Management Knowledge, 20 (78): 63-90. (In Persian).


27. Velasco, M.(2017).Tourism Policy, Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance, Publisher: Springer International Publishing.


28. Weaver, D.(2001). The Encyclopedia of Ecotourism, Wallingford, Oxon: CABI Publishing.


29. Zargham Borujeni, Hamid. Bazrafshan, Morteza (2014). Investigating the effective factors on the implementation of tourism policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran (from the perspective of academic researchers), Journal of Tourism Planning and Development. 3(9): 31-51. (In Persian).


30. Zhang K., (2016). Department of Organization and Human Resource, School of Business, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China.) Yunxia Feng. 29 (2): 242-262.