Delineation and Analysis of Relation Networks among Fishing Stakeholders and Its Role in Rural Tourism Development: A Case Study of Salakh Village, Qeshm Island of Iran

This study aimed at analyzing the relation networks among both public and private fishing stakeholders in Salakh village, Qeshm island of Iran, in order to examine the reasons of underdeveloped fishing tourism in this village. Required data were collected using a questionnaire filled by the concerned stakeholders of the village and then, the networks were delineated and analyzed using In-degree Centrality, Status, and Grouping based on Role Equivalence Indices in Visone software. The study results revealed that there was no defect in the relation networks among the stakeholders and indeed, the fishermen and organizations didn’t have sufficient information about this industry and also, 67 percent of the fishermen didn’t have tendency to continue the fishing due to their economic problems as well as the bad economic status of this activity. Coordinating the activities of fishermen and organizations related to fishing industry and giving the required educations to fishermen were suggested as necessary measures to develop the fishing tourism in Salakh village; furthermore, to introduce and advertise in good manner about tourism potentials of the village to attract tourists were among the other recommendations.