Macro planning of tourism sample regions through selecting effective criteria on tourism development process in Khorasan Razavi Province

In this study، effective criteria on process of tourism areas selection were collected due to macro planning of capable areas to tourism sample regions in Khorasan Razavi province. Then، their priority was carried out based on Delphi method. After determining the relative weights and criteria priorities، the map of capable areas to planning tourism sample regions was obtained at the province level. According to this research، 25 major criteria and 82 sub criteria were found from seven environmental criteria groups، tourism، physical- infrastructural، economic، cultural- social، design and also management. Cultural-Economic and management criteria group had the maximum and minimum numbers of sub criteria with 28 and five criteria، respectively. Delphi findings for the criteria groups show that in process of tourism areas selection، environment، physical-infrastructural، cultural-social، design، management and economic criteria groups presented priority 1 to 7، respectively. On basis of this study، for determination level of effectiveness about sub criteria in the tourism areas selection process، 8. 3% of sub criteria were detected in very high-influence class، 22. 6% in high-influence class، 35. 7% in medium-influence class، and 33. 4% in low-influence class. In addition، regarding to involve of eliminating indicators، the most priorities were assigned to attractions and tourist destinations، tourism and market demand، environmental hazards، sensitive habitat and also vegetation sub criteria، respectively.