Physical Impacts of Second Homes in the Development of Rural Dwellings in Iran: A Case Study of Rural Summer Resorts of Mashhad County

The construction of second homes in rural resorts of Mashhad county to spend the leisure times has started simultaneously with the structural transformation in tourism in the country and particularly in rural surroundings of the metropolises. This area, due to natural and ecological endowments and nearness to Mashhad has succeeded to accept many second home tourists in rural environments. The findings of the study indicate that the formation of second homes in recent decade has several physical consequences such as farm and orchard land use changes, intrusion into river limits, and changing the rural perspectives, such that 86.5 percent of second homes are located in the margins of the village physical area or in a new locality near the existing villages, and in 42 percent of cases it changed the land use. In order to resolve this problem several propositions are suggested such as land use studies, observing river limits, and designing an integrated management system for tourism.