Spatial Analysis of Sustainable Rural Tourism Pattern Using Geographic Information System (Case Study: Kuhrang Region, in the West of Iran)

One crucial development planning for tourism is the spatial distribution pattern which can draw up a plan for rural development within a uniform framework. This study aims to analyze the tourism indicators in rural areas and determine their spatial distribution pattern in the Kuhrang region of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province.

The study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. The survey data is quantitative using a questionnaire. The statistical population of this research includes 2628 people in tourism villages. Three hundred thirty-five people were selected as the sample size based on the Cochran formula. SPSS and ArcGIS software was used for data analysis, and Moran's I was employed in ArcGIS software for spatial distribution pattern analysis.

The results showed that rural areas have attraction diversity and capacity for tourism development; however, economic, social, and environmental indicators have unfavorable status. Also, the results showed that rural areas have a dispersed spatial pattern only for the tourism current status indicators, followed by Moran's I (-0.94), and regarding other indicators, namely, tourism potential, attraction diversity, foresight, indicators of social, economic, and environmental tourism have a random pattern.

Considering the appropriate attraction diversity for tourism development, the spatial distribution pattern of rural areas in terms of tourism indicators is unacceptable as it does not follow a regular, planned, and uniform pattern. Therefore, an acceptable framework should be provided for creating an appropriate spatial distribution pattern for tourism development (Clustered pattern).