A Study of the Effects of Ecotourism on Qeshm Geopark

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of ecotourism on Qeshm Geopark. It employed a qualitative design based on the Grounded Theory method. The purposive sampling method was used to select the required participants for the study, and the data was collected by interviewing a sample of 18 local residents of Qeshm Island. Here, the effects of ecotourism on the Geopark region have been divided into two positive and negative groups. The results of the study indicate that most of the interviewees have a positive attitude to ecotourism in this region and agree, to a large extent, with an increase in employment as a result of this industry. Based on Doxy’s Level of Host Irritation Index, the local residents of Qeshm are presently at the euphoria stage. At this level, the host society welcomes the development of tourism enthusiastically. New job opportunities and increased income are among the positive effects of this stage.