Assessment and Zoning of Ecotourism Potential with Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Analysis ‎Approach (Case Study: Meshghinshahr County)

The study addressed Mshginshahr County for ecotourism assessment, because of having ýnatural potentials, aimed to ecotourism zoning using fuzzy multi-criteria analysis in the ýarea. In this regard, data and information of 9 environmental criteria including climate, ýslope, aspect, elevation, distance from streams, density of vegetation, soil, lithology and ýdistance to faults was collected according to different library documents. Preparation, ýmanagement and analysis of data were performed by geographic information system ýý(GIS), finalized by zonal mapping of ecotourism potential in the area. Results of the ýzoning map showed that there is good potential for ecotourism in the area. Also, the ýmap has a suitable agreement with environmental properties of the area. According to ýecotourism potential zoning map, about 17 percent of the county had high ecotourism ýcapability and 72 percent of it had low ecotourism capability. Spatial concentrationþ þof ýecotourism suitable extents in the south, occupied by good ranges and forests, persuades ýus to prioritize the development of ecotourism in the zone. In contrast, domination the ýunfavorable climate and consequently poor vegetation cover in northern half of the ýcounty have decreased the ecotourism potential in this zone, so that apart from a few ýscattered locations in the north, most of the northern half of the county has low ýecotourism potential.ý