Investigating and Analyzing the Potentials and Constraints of Tourism Development in Lenjan County Using AHP and SWOT Models

Tourism is a leading development strategy in various societies, influencing economic, social, and environmental growth through targeted planning that recognizes both potentials and challenges. Lenjan County, despite facing certain limitations in tourism development, boasts diverse and significant resources related to nature and historical culture. This research aimed to identify these strengths and obstacles, proposing solutions to enhance capacities and mitigate tourism bottlenecks in Lenjan County. This study was applied in purpose and descriptive in nature and methodology. The research population consisted of tourism experts and visitors to the region with a statistical sample of 15 experts and 45 tourists. The first group analyzed tourism capabilities and limitations using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) model, while insights from the second group were utilized within a SWOT framework to identify suitable solutions for tourism development based on the AHP findings. The results from the hierarchical analysis revealed that ecotourism attractions with a weight of 0.492, historical villages, and the potential for ecotourism activities (0.448), along with tangible and intangible historical-cultural heritage recognized nationally (0.330), represented the most significant tourism capabilities. Conversely, the lack of amenities and accommodation services at some historical-cultural sites (0.544) and damage to the local ecosystem due to river depletion and industrial pollution (0.427) were identified as the most critical bottlenecks. Additionally, the SWOT analysis identified 10 strengths and opportunities, yielding a final score of 3.53, while 8 weaknesses and threats scored 3.20, highlighting practical limitations on tourism development from the tourists’ perspectives. The recommended strategy for tourism development was an "active strategy".