Identification and Validation of Effective Indicators and Factors of Environmental Quality in Branding of Rural Tourism Destinations Using Thematic analysis Method (Case: Ethno-cultural Region of Oramanat in Kurdistan and Kermanshah Provinces)

The branding of every tourism destination is based on its environmental characteristics and unique features, in other words, environmental quality; because optimal environment quality underlie the formation of a positive sense to tourism destinations and eventually develop tourism. Explaining the environmental quality and consequently branding for rural tourism destination help create an enjoyable and memorable experience in the minds of tourists and will result in tourist's loyalty and ultimately attract more tourists and visitors to the tourism boom in the region. Thus, identifying environmental quality factors contributes a lot to branding and finally marketing and development of tourism destinations. Given the importance of this issue, this study has undertaken to identify and validate the environmental quality of Oramanat ethno-cultural region to branding for its tourism destinations. In this study, qualitative thematic analysis method was used. Initially by purposive sampling method, 29 interviews (12 interviews with beneficiary local people and 17 interviews with tourists) were conducted. Then, the results were analyzed with MAXQDA. To validate the results and increase their reliability, a quantitative method was used such as Exploratory factor analysis. Based on the results of the interviews and the completed questionnaire, 5 dimensions and 22 categories for environmental quality related to branding were identified in the Hawraman region. They are as follows: natural dimension (with 4 categories), socio-cultural dimension (with 7 categories), economic dimension (with 1 category), physical dimension (with 5 categories), and institutional dimension (with 5 categories).