Assessment of Infrastructure and Capacities for Sustainable Tourism Development: A Case Study of the Khorramabad to Arak Axis in Lorestan Province

Subject Areas :

amir hoseinian rad ¹ , Maryam Beyranvandzadeh ² , nobakht sobhani ³ , ali sajadi ⁴

1 - Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
2 - Ph.D. in Geography & Urban Planning, Lorestan Province Academic Jihad Researcher, Khorramabad, Iran
3 - Ph.D. in Geography & Urban Planning, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
4 - Assistant Professor, Institute of Archaeology, Cultural & Tourism Research Institute, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2023-02-21 Accepted : 2023-04-11 Published : 2023-05-22

Keywords: Sustainable Tourism, tourism infrastructure, Khorramabad to Arak axis,

Abstract :

The tourism industry operates as an interconnected system, where the synergy between its components is crucial. Tourist attractions alone are insufficient to drive travel or foster industry growth; instead, it is imperative to provide facilities and infrastructure to accommodate tourists. This research aims to assess the role of infrastructure and capabilities in the sustainable development of tourism along the Khorramabad to Arak axis. A descriptive-analytical approach was employed, utilizing document analysis and surveys through a researcher-made questionnaire. The research findings were analyzed and evaluated using the CoCoSo method, focusing on four infrastructure indicators: physical infrastructure (six dimensions), government infrastructure (four dimensions), service infrastructure (six dimensions), and cultural infrastructure (four dimensions). The results indicate that physical infrastructure plays a pivotal role in tourism development along the studied axis, achieving a score of 3.61 and ranking first. Service and government (management-institutional) infrastructures secured the second and third positions, with scores of 3.56 and 2.24, respectively. Cultural infrastructure, with a score of 1.46, obtained the lowest rating, indicating its relatively lower importance compared to the other dimensions.

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