This study determined the situation of rural tourism and agro-tourism in Tehran Province as well as the expected economic impacts of agro-tourism development on it. In this research, we used documental research method and field research based on questionnaires and face-to-face interview. It was found out that despite different tourist attractions in rural areas of Tehran province, tourist arrival to the rural areas was only due to natural attractions. Almost all counties have agricultural tourist attractions, but no comprehensive and coherent programs have been implemented for the development of agro-tourism in the region. It was revealed that one job can be created in exchange for the arrival of nearly 133 Agro-tourists, that tourists in their rural trips are more willing to buy agricultural products and homemade processed foods as compared to handicrafts and other goods, that in rural trips, Agro-tourists will spend more money for their purchases than other rural tourists, and that Agro-tourists earn much more benefit on their purchasing as compared to rural tourists. Based on the results, the most important expected economic impacts of Agro-tourism development in Tehran province include the increase in Agro-tourist arrivals to the rural regions, the increase in job creation, the improvement of rural economy and much more Agro-tourism revenue in rural areas as compared to other fields of rural tourism. Manuscript profile

In this paper the researchers tried to study the status of tourism and rural tourism economy in Iran the condition of entry and exit of tourists in Iran, as well as the inhibiting factors affecting their positive impacts on Iran economic status. To achieve this objective, the researchers used documentary research methods. In addition, the researchers used a field research method based on the data obtained from a questionnaire in an attempt to find the inhibiting factors affecting positive impacts of tourism and rural tourism on Iran economics. The population of this study involve in tourism and rural tourism authorities. The sample of the population consist of 119. The statistical methods used in the study include the non-parametric statistics (Kolmogrove Smirnove). Findings revealed that Iran’s percent share of tourism contribution to GDP in the years 2003-2014 was very low and its changes in these years have been disproportionate. No special information and detailed statistics were presented that have helped clarified the status of rural tourism and rural tourists in Iran. The first five priorities in the field of inhibiting factors affecting positive impacts of tourism on Iran economics were lack of major plans and policies for tourism and rural tourism development, weak cooperation between the government, private sector and local people in planning, managing the tourism and rural tourism projects, frequent change in the authorities of cultural heritage, handicraft and tourism organization, lack of correct criteria for choosing managers and executive directors, and the effects of the sanctions on tourism programs. Furthermore, political factors were found to be important in regard to their effect on the situation of tourism economics in Iran. Manuscript profile