Sustainable Development of Ecotourism in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiyari Province, Iran, a Scenario Study

Due to people's searching for a unique new destination to pass their holidays and release for a while, the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiyari in Iran is one of the top touristic destinations in which a combination of huge natural beauty and rich history due to the nomadic lifestyle has made this province as a potential region for eco-tourism development. In this study based on the current situation of the area, four scenarios' development has been provided for the future development of ecotourism market in this region. These scenarios have been provided based on 22 indepth interviews with main stakeholders of ecotourism market of the region. International resort, nomadic resort, eco-cultural resort and exclusive resort are four different future scenarios for the region as a result of the research. Each has separate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Consequently, it has been discussed that a combination of all four scenarios and using the best future action plans of all the scenarios will be a suitable plan for the eco-tourism sustainable development of this province in future.