Evaluating the potential of geotourism in Taleghan region using the Kubalikova method

Geotourism is a nascent phenomenon that has recently entered the tourism literature and gained global acceptance. Tourism is also a social, cultural, and commercial phenomenon, which requires people to move to a place other than their place of residence and work. Tourism is becoming one of the main pillars of economic development. Many development policymakers also cite the tourism industry as a key element of sustainable development. Given this role and position, tourism in a place can not only be effective in the development of that place, but also affect the development of some indicators in the environment. Obviously, the expansion of geotourism activities can generate income and employment for residents of areas with these attractions. Taleghan area is located in the middle of a valley in the southern part of central Alborz. Due to its geological and climatic characteristics, landscapes and geomorphological and geological sites, this area is an attractive center for tourists in Alborz and Tehran provinces. In this research, after library and documentary studies and field studies and natural studies, the attractions and geosites of the region have been identified and mapped. Then, using Kubalikova method, the potential of geotourism was evaluated in 18 sites of the region. These attractions and sites include caves, waterfalls, lakes and villages with special landscapes and tourism destinations. The results showed that at least 6 geosites are valuable. They are high and the rest of the sites are of moderate value. The sites of Taleghan Dam Lake, Orazan village, Kirkboud waterfall, Orazan waterfall, Dizan village and Ghamish lake have the highest geotourism potentials. At present, the studied sites have more scientific-intrinsic and educational value, but with proper planning, management and investment, the economic and acquired potential values of these geosites can be used to the maximum. Therefore, proper planning of services and infrastructure in this field can help the local and regional economy