Document Type : Research
Authors
1
PhD Student, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Shirvan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shirvan, Iran
2
Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Shirvan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shirvan, Iran
3
Assistant Professor, Department of Geography and Urban Planning,Kosar University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran
Abstract
Identifying the factors influencing the development of urban tourism facilitates planning for urban development. The interaction between tourists and host communities, along with the creation of tourism spaces, is the result of traveling to urban areas with diverse motivations, visiting attractions, and enjoying tourism-related facilities and services. These processes have undeniable impacts on various economic, social, cultural, and ecological dimensions. The aim of the present study is to explore the role of urban tourism in the sustainable development of Shirvan City in North Khorasan Province. In this applied research, a descriptive–analytical approach has been adopted. Data were collected using a questionnaire. The statistical population consisted of two groups: the first group included residents over 20 years of age in Shirvan City, with a total population of n=56,271 people based on the latest national census. Using Cochran’s formula and a CI=95%, a sample of 384 respondents was selected. The second group comprised 50 tourism experts in Shirvan County, who were randomly selected and surveyed. The results suggest that for the economic, physical, and environmental development indices, the significance level was above 0.05, indicating that, to both citizens and tourism experts, urban tourism has not played a significant role in the economic development of Shirvan. Urban tourism has a pivotal role in the socio-cultural and environmental development of Shirvan. Finally, in examining the relationship between urban tourism and the dimensions of sustainable urban development in Shirvan based on the views of the two groups of citizens and experts, a T-value above 1.96 was obtained. Hence, in light of the results, it can be posited that there is a statistically significant relationship between urban tourism and the dimensions of sustainable urban development.
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