Spatial Analysis of Tourism Clusters with an Emphasis on Small Businesses in Rural (Study Case: Territorial Region 9)

Considering the importance of small businesses in the country's economy, clusters can provide a suitable platform for the sustainability of tourism destinations due to their many relative and competitive advantages. Therefore, the current research aims to explain the spatial clustering of small businesses in tourist villages. This research has been done in a descriptive survey method, which is based on a survey of experts and stakeholders. The statistical population of the study (including 128 villages with 189 ecotourism Ecolodges in the 9th Territorial Region (North, Razavi, and South Khorasan). According to the personal estimation method, 20% of the volume of the statistical population was used as a basis, which finally determined the number of 26 villages. Data analysis was done using GIS software. The results of the multi-criteria analysis technique showed that the villages of Namagh, Mazinan, Zaferanieh, Arzeneh, and Karimo have stronger potential than the other villages studied, and the results of the Gutman model showed that the villages of Kang, Zafaranieh, Khorashad, Firouze, and Ruyin have They are at a high level in terms of wealth compared to other studied villages. Also, the characteristics of small rural business clusters were examined and the results showed that small rural tourism businesses in the region do not have geographical and sectoral concentration, in terms of internal and external linkages, horizontal communication and the vertical between rural small businesses and other businesses has been excellent in most cases and poor in some cases.