Prioritization of Suitable Areas for Eco-Tourism Treatment in Guilan Province based on Environmental Characteristics and Cognitive Factors

The aim of this study was to identify and introduce desirable areas of eco-tourism treatment in Guilan province. For this purpose, in a quantitative-qualitative research was done based on documentary and field studies. The researcher used a pair-wise comparison questionnaire to evaluate 4 criteria and 18 sub-criteria of environmental characteristics and cognitive variables according to 25 tourism and health experts in Guilan province. Although Guilan province is one of the most important and considered areas in the field of eco-tourism, so far the advantage of its ecotourism treatment has not been used. The present study is the first to identify and zone the areas susceptible to implication in Guilan province in order to diversify opportunities and focus tourism development programs. According to the results, the criteria of natural attractions with a numerical value of 0.632 and the sub-criterion of the possibility of touching the elements of nature with the five senses with a numerical value of 0.277 were the most important study priorities of the research from the perspective of experts. Based on the zoning map of prone areas for healing eco-tourism, 13.38% of the area of Guilan province were located in a very good and good range for the sustainable development of tourism destinations, prioritizing and directing operational resources accordingly.