A Study of Challenges and Opportunities for the Development of Tourism in Coastal Villages: The Case Study of Villages in Babolsar

Today tourism is a very important socio-economic phenomenon in the world and according to the World Tourism Organization, it is currently the largest industry in the world (Movahed & Dolatshah, 2011). Tourism activities are considered as the fourth part of human activities after agriculture, industry and services. Experts predict that up to 2020, it will become the world's most profitable industry so that it is called as invisible export (Najafi Kani, 2009). The growth of the tourism industry in the past two decades is estimated to be 70%. The huge amount of money along with employment directly and indirectly has motivated many countries in the world with their natural capabilities and cultural and historical heritage to make an effort to allocate a share of this economy to them (Papoli Yazdi & Saghayi, 2006). Perhaps that is why Lewis Turner considers tourism as the most prospecting and complicated industry which third world faces and believes that tourism is the best alternative for other lucrative industries (Rayan, 1995) so that scientists consider it as a passport for development (Zangiabadi, 2006).
Tourism refers to a set of activities and measures which take place related to a tourist along with all the activities that a tourist does while traveling outside of his homes. The main feature of tourism is that in the first place it refers to a trip away from home or work and second that it is a short-term stay sometimes without a night stay (Dakhili Kahnamuyi, 2007).
Tourism consists of three basic dimensions: capital, management, technology and
two sub-elements of the natural factors as well as a set of cultural heritage. Among the factors that shape the organization and structure of tourism, one of its main foundations is the existence of capital and appropriate technology as an infrastructure which alters the tourism process (Papoli & Saghai, 2006; Abdolmaleki, 2008). Tourism, by developing the first residential-commercial centers for tourists, brings about some changes in destination and with a fast growth contributes to immigration