Investigating the Effects of Neighborhood-Based Housing Provision on Tourism Development with an Environmental Approach (A Case of Arak)

Tourism has become a vital component of development strategies in many countries, playing an active and effective role in improving the economic, social, and cultural structures, especially in developing nations. In this context, neighborhood-oriented housing provision has gained increasing importance. This study aimed to investigate the effects of neighborhood-based housing provision on tourism development with an environmental approach in the city of Arak. The research is applied in purpose and employs both field methods (questionnaires) and documentary methods (library studies) for data collection. The research sample included tourism officials and operators in the studied area (15 people), operators, employees, and activists in tourism (8 people), geography and tourism experts (5 people), civil engineering experts (3 people), water resources engineering experts (3 people), and professors and researchers with experience or knowledge in Arak tourism (6 people), resulting in 40 completed questionnaires. The data were analyzed using the Iranian matrix method (Leopold modified Makhdoom, 2017). The results showed that the effects of housing provision on tourism in Arak have minimal negative environmental effects. In fact, the findings highlight that neighborhood-based housing provision not only avoids significant environmental harm but can also contribute positively to tourism development. Therefore, it is essential to minimize negative effects while leveraging this potential for economic and social development.