Determining the ecological potential and power of Roudan city for ecotourism application using Multi Attribute Decision Making (MADM)

Tourism is a process which has existed with all its specific forms from the ancient times so that the mental، cultural، social and economic demands of the human beings can be met. One of the growing branches of this industry is named as ecotourism. Nowadays، tourism has become one of the main levers of economic and social development in many parts of the world. Tourism in the regions should be based on the sustainable development to preserve the nature as well as preserving the region’s historical and cultural heritage as well as the intellectual application of the natural resources. Ecotourism development aligned with eco-environmental potential of the land as an effective tool and approach plays a major role in sustainable development، promoting the life standards of human society and maintaining the natural equilibrium. Assessment of ecological potential is an effective step and suitable tool in order to direct the present activities and functions which have been done for the land toward a sustainable development. One of the ways for identifying and evaluating the ecological capacity of each region is the application of the multiple attribute decision making method (MADM) and compare it to other indices. This method has identified the sites with the ecotourism potential in the city of Roudan and ultimately، suggests the appropriate locations for ecotourism development in the city. The studied area in this paper is the Roudan city where located in the east of Hormozgan Province and is situated at the geographical coordinates ranging from 56 degrees and 50 minutes to 57 degrees and 29 minutes of eastern geographical longitude and from 27 degrees and 5 minutes to 27 degrees and 59 minutes of northern geographical latitude. This research is considered as one of the descriptive studies and it is of applied type in terms of the effect and relationship and in line with this. In this regard، first of all، different parameters used to select these sites by different local and foreign authorities were gathered by means of a documentary review. Therefore، at this point، 11 major parameters and 36 sub-parameters were selected then the chosen parameters were assessed using the Delphi technique and the final attributes of ecotourism development including 9 major parameters and 28 secondary parameters were identified and formulated. In the next step، by using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and preparing AHP questionnaire، the relative weights of major parameters and sub-parameters were determined. After determining the parameters، they were incorporated with each other and the appropriate regions for tourism development were determined. The results of this study، which is an attempt for reviewing the parameters experienced in Iran and throughout the world، aiming at localizing it for the site selection application for the ecotourism in the city of Roudan، demonstrated that both parameters and sub-parameters extracted from different resources are applied for identifying the appropriate regions for ecotourism in the city of Roudan including 9 main parameters and 28 sub-parameters. The studies showed that the natural recreational resources have 77% of relative weight and has enjoyed the highest degree of importance and in practice، 56. 4 % of the experts and respondents have identified this parameter as one with the very high level of importance، 25. 6 % of the experts identified it as the parameter with high importance for selecting ecotourism’s appropriate regions amongst the natural ecosystems. Based on the obtained results، the regions having a low potential level of 141323. 5 hectares and 43/4 % of the total lands have allocated most of the land areas in Roudan city. 9. 1 % of the total area of the city including 29711. 3 hectares has high potential، 57327. 9 hectares from the surface of the city equivalent to 17. 6 percent has average potential and about 97344. 4 hectares equivalent to 29. 9 % of the lands do not have the potential for ecotourism development. According to the results and the implementation of the regions apt to tourism in the geographical information system and other existing information، it is clear that the central regions and the regions close to perennial streams have the most potential in terms of ecotourism application and the reason for this، is the concentration of tourism targeted villages of Abnama، Ziarat Seyed Soltan Mohammad، Ziaratali and so on in this district of the city. The study of the map of the regions apt to develop the tourism in the city of Roudan، indicates consistency of high potential regions with the current utilization including the pilgrimage and touring status of Abnema and Seyed Soltan Mohammad villages as tourism sites and the villages that are placed amongst the high capacity regions in the obtained map. Besides، the existence of the natural resources in the city، it is identified as the most important determining attribute of the regions. Amongst the most important resources and facilities of the city، the existence of perennial streams of Roudan and Jaghin is considered as the important factors of tourist attraction. It is suggested that the researchers study the ecological potential and capacity of the other regions of Hormozgan province in terms of the ecotourism applications.