The Feasibility Study of Areas Appropriate to Recreational-Sports Trekking in Dorud City

The identification of areas appropriate for the sustainable growth and development of touristic activities is among the main topics of tourism planning. With its positioning between a mountainous area and a plain, Dorud city enjoys topographic diversity and numerous natural attractions that need proper management and appropriate planning in order to attain the objectives of the sustainable development of tourism. Aiming at the examination of the potential of this area for recreational-sport trekking ecotourism, the study at hand set out to assess the ecologic power of this area using multi-criteria evaluation method. This study was applied-developmental in terms of purpose, and descriptive-analytical in terms of research framework. Since the identification and evaluation of tourism potentials is a multi-criteria decision-making question, five main criteria groups – including physical, ecologic, infrastructural-bodily, safety, and economic-social criteria groups – and 25 secondary criteria for the recreational-sport trekking tourism were developed. The weighted linear combination was used to integrate the criteria. Then, the final map for ecotourism activity in the region was drawn in three spaces with low, mid, and high capability. The results of the final desirability map showed that 6.9 percent of the area has high potential for recreational-sport trekking. Moreover, the results of TOPSIS revealed that Qarun and Oshtorankuh mountains are the first and second top ranking mountains for recreational-sport trekking, respectively. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate the appropriate areas for recreational-sport trekking, which can function as a guide for tourists, managers, and planners to make decisions and administer developmental policies in the light of environmental and socioeconomic approaches and considerations.