Desert tourism: A New Perspective in the Development of Sustainable Tourism in Iran (Geographical Area: Um El Debs Forests)

Desert tourism is one of the most special and adventurous types of tourism that takes place in many countries. Unfortunately, due to weak infrastructure and effective strategies in this field, attention to the potential of this type of tourism has been neglected in Iran. The aim of the current research is to outline a new perspective in the development of sustainable tourism in Iran in the form of desert tourism, which is centered on the desert forests of Um El Debs in Khuzestan.

Design/methodology/approach:

 The current research is practical in terms of its purpose and the research method used in it is quantitative, which investigates the issue using a semi-parametric geographically weighted regression model.

According to the findings of the present research, there is not much difference between the fitting results of the traditional weighted geographic regression model and the semi-parametric model of geographically weighted regression, and these values prove that the significance test can prove that all cases are in the correlation area. Also, the values related to the estimation of the parameters in this area are high and this shows that promoting the economic development of tourism will bring positive results for the majority of the local residents of Bostan county.

The results indicate that the expansion of tourism in the desert forest region of Um El Debs has positive and effective effects and consequences, and desert tourism can have a positive potential to increase the economic prosperity of the region, and in case of careful planning and policy, it can also be fruitful in the development of sustainable tourism in the region.

Originality/value:

 Referring to the results and findings of the present research, for the first time the possibility of developing sustainable tourism in Iran, centered on desert forests, was confirmed and investigated.