Strategic planning for tourism development in periurban areas, Case study: Vardij-Varish tourism route; District 22 of Tehran Municipality

Today, tourism is one of the drivers of community development. Meanwhile, periurban tourism, like other types of tourism, plays an important role in local and regional development and local economy. The purpose of the present study, which has been conducted in the Vardij-Varish tourism axis, is to formulate tourism development strategies. The research method is descriptive-analytical. To collect data, documentary methods and reference to library and survey resources have been used. The SWOT model and the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) were also used for data analysis. The results show that the appropriate strategy for tourism development in the study area is competitive. The approach of local and regional managers to the issue of tourism and the need to develop the tourism axis and proximity to population centers and the activities of Tehran and Alborz provinces are among the important opportunities of the tourism axis. Also, based on the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM), strategies such as planning to shift to agricultural tourism and ecotourism, diversify rural employment to create sustainable livelihoods and attract tourists to rural areas, and diversification strategies to tourism activities and facilities and services to increase job diversity gained the highest rank and priority, respectively. Diversification of advertising programs to introduce attractions to tourists and attract public participation in the protection and sustainable use of natural resources with emphasis on environmental protection is another important strategy in tourism development on the Vardij-Varish axis.