Strategic Plan for Tourism Development of Makhunik Village Using David Model

Rural tourism development is of great importance in rural development and plays an important role in diversifying the rural economy to provide more opportunities in such regions. The identification of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for the advancement of rural tourism in Makhunik village, situated in South Khorasan province, was accomplished through the utilization of strategic planning employing the David model.

This is an applied study carried out in 2021 in Makhunik village. The study population consisted of two groups: rural households residing in Makhunik village and tourists as well as officials from institutions associated with the village. Data were collected through both library research and fieldwork methods. The questionnaire was developed based on a thorough examination of scholarly sources and interviews with officials from organizations affiliated with rural tourism. A comprehensive list of recommended strategies was formulated, and the factors were subsequently incorporated into a 47-item questionnaire utilizing a 5-point Likert scale. The strategies were determined in accordance with David's model, which is based on the SWOT framework.

The assessment of internal factors (total final score 2.29) demonstrates that the weaknesses of tourism in Makhunik village outnumber its strengths, necessitating the formulation of strategies to address these weaknesses. The evaluation matrix of external factors (total final score 2.47) reveals that the region's tourism opportunities surpass the threats it faces. Consequently, macro strategies should be devised to capitalize on these opportunities for the region's tourism.

The proposed strategies for rural tourism planning encompass conservative (WO), defensive (SO), offensive (SO), and competitive (ST) strategies, respectively. These strategies have been presented with the aim of enhancing tourist visits to the village and fostering tourism development through their accurate and timely implementation.