Analysis of the physical challenges of tourism development in rural areas using grounded theoryCase study; Tourism villages of Zanjan province

The purpose of this study is to investigate the physical challenges of tourism development in rural areas using the basic theory in the target villages of tourism in Zanjan province. The present research is in the group of qualitative research in terms of purpose, development-application and in terms of paradigm, and in terms of method, it has used the basic theory. Library documents, photographs and videos, in-depth interviews, and direct and non-participatory observations were used to collect information. The statistical population of this study is the local managers of eight villages targeted for tourism in Zanjan province. The collected data were analyzed through content analysis. By linking the codes (open coding), concepts (axial coding), categories (selective coding) and validation of the concepts obtained from the focal method research by experts, the conceptual model of the research was drawn and the approval of experts validated the model. . The results show that the target villages of tourism in Zanjan province face physical challenges such as the destruction of the traditional texture and architecture of the village, environmental issues, lack of facilities-services, weakness of infrastructure and transport fleet. Recognition of the situation, capabilities,s.