Evaluation of Rural Tourism Potentials to Eliminating the Economic Challenges

There are many economic problems in rural areas that make rural planning as a necessity to reduce them. In this regard, tourism can be as a tool for economic development and an efficient activity in rural areas. In this article we are going to evaluate the tourism Potentials in eliminating the economic challenges of rural areas, thus, potentials of three kind of tourism include natural, agricultural and cultural tourism. Also, here we investigate the condition of the facilities and the main factors that effect on development of tourism in the Qal`e Qafeh village in the suburbs of Minoodasht, a township of Golestan province in north of Iran. In this research we used descriptive- analysis method based on library and field studies. Interviews and questionnaires were used in field studies. The participants were the local people and managers. We selected 160 households by Cochran formula for first group. For the second group (rural manager), all the members (20 people) were selected. The data which collected from the questionnaire were analysed with using the SPSS software. Descriptive and deductive tests were applied to analysis the data. The results of the research show that tourism has a strong potentials to eliminate with economic problems. But there are significant differences between species in this regard. So, natural tourist is first and agricultural tourism and cultural tourism are in next ranks. Furthermore, in the case of infrastructure research indicate that there are many shortages, weaknesses and limitations in the facilities that is needed to development of the tourism in this area. In general, if promoted and be desirable the facilities and factors affecting tourism development, it was hoped that due to the high potential of tourism in Qal`e Qafe village, the economic challenges reduced greatly.