The Impact of Tourism on Sustainable Urban Development from an Economic Perspective: A Case Study of Bostan Abad City

Introduction :

With the increase of urbanization, the decline of family income, and the weakening of the agricultural industry, there is a need for prosperous and alternative activities. According to the mentioned reasons, focusing on the issue of tourism in sustainable urban development with proper use of natural and human resources, in addition to economic growth, can promote agriculture and produce local handicrafts and be effective in improving environmental conditions [1]. In many cities that have an optimal agricultural industry and have suffered economic decline due to being named, paying attention to jobs that cause economic growth and development such as the tourism industry - as a complement to the agricultural industry - can be a guarantee in improving the living conditions of citizens [ 2]. The studies that have been done so far about the economic concepts of tourism have been unbalanced. The conducted research has described issues such as tourism demand, forecasting demand fluctuations, and the multiplying effects of tourism on other economic areas, and less attention has been paid to other economic aspects of tourism such as the supply side. However, the research that has been conducted on the structure of production and provision of tourism services has examined the supply of tourism products and services.Paying attention and focusing on the constructions in urban tourist areas, restoration of extensive traditional and historical works in the city, and taking care of entertainment centers will help the tourism economy. Increasing progress in the sustainable development of urban tourism in front of competitors, focusing on the demands of tourists, supporting private sectors and people to provide the demands of tourists, various development plans in the field of urban tourism should be considered important and implemented with careful management. Spreading the knowledge of urban tourism inside or outside the country, expanding cultural centers, promoting urban tourism, and teaching urban tourism in terms of economic growth and development can be effective in sustainable urban tourism [3]. The most important factors for the sustainable development of urban tourism in the country can be considered as changing the views of the people and the authorities in attracting urban tourists, the proper way of dealing with urban tourists, controlling their problems, and accuracy in the process of informing tourism economy[4]. Measuring trips and their economic consequences is meaningful [5]. Economics plays a role in many areas such as economic effects and control of tourism effects and market forces, tourists’ demand for supply, and tourism goods. An economist examines tourism from the point of view of the economic model, balance of accounts, foreign transactions, income generation, gross national product, and economic future studies. In the tourism industry of urban attractions, comfort services are offered to tourists instead of goods, and their visit to tourist areas and attractions is considered as a demand [6]. The study of the tourism economy consists of examining topics such as demand, companies and markets, their international relations and interactions, supply and market structures, pricing, and calculating the added value of tourism activities. It is the study of all dimensions, effects, results, and economic factors affecting the tourism industry.One of the ways to have tourism and sustainable economic development and areas to improve the income status of the residents of Bostanabad city in the field of tourism is to pay attention to infrastructures such as the construction of hotels, inns, and hotel apartments. It is not possible to develop tourism without sufficient attention to investment in different sectors of the tourism industry in the country. We can hope that with investment and planning in the tourism industry, Bostanabad city can become a major tourism hub in the region so that in the medium and long term, the foreign exchange earnings from it will be an effective factor in the improvement of the single-product economy [7]. Therefore, Bostanabad city was examined according to the economic approach and in terms of earning money through tourist attractions and sustainable development of the economy. Visitors to tourist attractions were selected as the statistical research population. Cochran’s formula was used to calculate statistical samples. The hierarchical model and Prolong method were used for data analysis. For this purpose, this question has been raised in this research: What are the effective factors in the tourism of Bostanabad city with the approach of earning money from tourist attractions and sustainable economic development of the city?

Methods and Materials:

According to the goals and components of the investigation, progressive research is of an applied type. The statistical population studied are tourists, and visitors to the city’s tourist attractions. The statistical sample was calculated based on Cochran’s formula for tourism of 354 people. Library (documents) and field methods were used to collect information. The tools for collecting information are books, scientific research articles, theses, research plans, and other documents, including questionnaires. To complete the data, the official statistics of the Organization of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism, tourist service offices, tour guides, and brochures of organizations active in the field of tourism have been used. To determine the value of each of the tourist attractions in Bostanabad city, the Pralong method has been used to analyze the effectiveness of various economic indicators in the development of tourism in this city and the hierarchical analysis model.

The first step in the process of hierarchical analysis is to create a hierarchical structure of the subject under investigation. It shows the objectives, criteria, sub-criteria, options, and the relationship between them. Therefore, there is a four-level hierarchy consisting of objective, criteria, sub-criteria, and options. So, the four criteria of economic power, tourism capacities, tourism attractions, and the number of services are valued based on their relative importance. In such a way that the number 1 is considered for equal importance, the number 5 for strong importance, the number 7 for very strong importance, and the number 4 for intermediate values, and the above numbers and weights are applied to the columns of the inverse table. The normal matrix is obtained by dividing the sum of the columns of the even matrix by the numbers of the even matrix. To explain the importance coefficient (weight) of criteria and sub-criteria, they are compared one by one, based on which and according to the purpose of the review. Besides, the intensity of superiority of criterion I compared to criterion j is determined. All criteria are compared two by two. One of the advantages of the hierarchical analysis process is the possibility of checking consistency in the judgments made to determine the importance of criteria and sub-criteria. The mechanism that is used to check the inconsistency in judgments is to calculate a coefficient called the consistency coefficient, which is obtained by dividing the inconsistency index by the randomness index. If this coefficient is less than or equal to 0.1, the consistency in the judgments is accepted, otherwise, the judgments must be revised. In the Pralong method, the tourism value of Qorigol lagoon and Bostanabad mineral spa (the most visited tourism elements of the city) was obtained in the following way: the average of the indicators of tourism, architecture, physical beauty, cultural and historical, socio-economic and welfare facilities and services that are scored through the score 5 different levels are done, it was obtained. (Likert spectrum) Five-level Likert scale or spectrum includes five options for answers. A five-level Likert scale is commonly used to measure satisfaction. These scores are obtained based on the opinions and views of specialists and experts. In this method, the value of the current productivity of Qorigol lagoon and Bostanabad mineral spa has been evaluated. The quality of productivity evaluates the value of economic productivity to determine the potential and actual capability of these places. The results of the evaluation of the tourism value of Qorigol lagoon and Bostanabad mineral spa show that the beauty index is worth 0.75 and 0.875, the socio-economic criterion for Ghorigol wetland is worth 0.7 and tourism the standard worth 0.8125 For mineral spas, they have played the most important role in attracting tourists (Table No. 5). In general, from the point of view of tourists, the tourism value of these two works is very high and it requires investment in different parts of these two works, which should be considered by the institutions responsible for these works.

The results of the evaluation of the tourism value of some of the important tourist attractions of this city, such as the Ghori Gol lagoon and Bostanabad mineral spa, show that the beauty index is worth 0.75 and 0.875 Moreover, the socio-economic criterion for the valuable flower teapot wetland is 0.7 Also, the tourism standard is worth 0.8125 For the mineral spa, it has played the biggest role in attracting tourists, and based on the hierarchical analysis and its criteria, the compatibility index is 0.335, and its compatibility rate is 0.0373 and the indicators of the economic power of Bostanabad city include valuable potentials in the field of handicrafts (carpet), agricultural products (carrots and potatoes), souvenirs (Bostanabad unleavened bread), which are the source of the formation of commercial units and creating employment, with the value of 0.6033 They play the most important role in the development of tourism in this city.