Feasibility Study of Tourism Entrepreneurship Development in Rural Areas of Darreh-Shahr County: Application of SWOT-AHP Model

International Journal of Agricultural Management and Development

مقاله 5، دوره 13، شماره 2، شهریور 2023، صفحه 151-166   

نوع مقاله: Research Article

نویسندگان

Nematollah Shiri¹؛ Samireh Seymohammadi^{* 2}

¹Assistant Professor, Department of Entrepreneurship and Rural Development, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran

²Department of Entrepreneurship and Rural Development, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran

چکیده

The aim of this study was to conduct a feasibility study on tourism entrepreneurship development in rural areas of Darreh-Shahr County, with the goal of providing appropriate strategies for its enhancement. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods in a sequential exploratory design. Through purposeful and network sampling, 15 key informants from the fields of entrepreneurship and tourism were selected for in-depth interviews, continuing until data saturation was achieved. Qualitative data were subjected to SWOT analysis, while quantitative data underwent analysis using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The findings indicated that a combination of conservative and aggressive strategies is essential for the development of tourism entrepreneurship in the rural areas of Darreh-Shahr County. The AHP analysis highlighted the importance of aggressive strategies, such as "organizing exhibitions and establishing local markets for rural and nomadic products." Additionally, it emphasized the need for conservative approaches, including "providing long-term, low-interest loans for the development of essential infrastructural facilities supporting rural entrepreneurial tourism" and "attracting local investors to establish recreational facilities like parks." In conclusion, this study underscores the necessity of employing a diverse range of strategies to foster the growth of tourism entrepreneurship in the rural areas of Darreh-Shahr County.

کلیدواژه‌ها

Rural businesses؛ rural tourism؛ strategic analysis؛ tourism entrepreneurship

مراجع

Akbari Samani, N., Badri, S.A., & Rezvani, M. (2020). Performance evaluation of elements of rural tourism entrepreneurship ecosystem; case study: Tehran province. Journal of Rural Research, 11(3), 556-575.

Bobochiaris, K. (2013). Ecological Parks in Evritania, adskarpenisi. blogspot.gr/2013/01/blog-post.html (transcend 25/8/2013).

Chambers, Edward J., & Shaw, Stuart E. (2004). A Primer on western Canadian Entrepreneurship; The Western Centre for Economic Research gratefully acknowledges the support of Western Economic Diversification Canada; NUMBER: 76.

Christos, A., Panayiotis, R. & Theodoroyiani, M. (2014). Tourism entrepreneurship and the adoption of sustainable resources: The case of Evritania Prefecture. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 148, 378 – 382.

Cotoi, E., Bodoasca, T., Catana, L. & Cotoi, I. (2011). Entrepreneurship European development strategy in the field of education. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 15, 3490–3494.

Darvishi, H., Beyranvandzadeh, M., Dehghani Alwar, S., & Ahmadi, S. (2014). Prioritization of rural tourism development strategies from the aspect of spatial planning: A case study of Gaykan-Aligoodarz County. Journal of Rural Development Strategies, 1(2), 69-84. (Persian)

Ebrahimi Koohbone, M. & Izad, E. (2014). Analyze of tourism development impacts on the development of rural areas (case study: Kesselian County). Journal of Rural Development Strategies, 1(1), 71-83. (Persian)

Egbe, O., Grace, E., & Ihuoma, H. (2013). Relationship between counseling and entrepreneurship development skills of Nigerian final year undergraduates. Social and Behavioral Sciences, 3 (84), 120 – 127.

Estelaji, A. & Khoshniyat Bayati, M. (2012). Cognition of tourism efficiency and exposition of better tourism development pattern in the point of view of functional geography (case study; shahr-e-rey). Geography, 10(34), 251-275. (Persian)

Farahani, H., Hosseini, S.P., & Bayazidi, Sh. (2017). Analysis of effective factors in rural tourism entrepreneurship case study: Zavaram village of Shirvan city. Journal of Rural Development Strategies, 5(3), 329-346.

Firoozi M A, goodarzi M., & Zarei R. (2013). Investigating the mutual relationship between entrepreneurship development and rural sustainable tourism (Case Study: Kharestan Village, Behbahan Township). Arid Regions Geographic Studies, 3 (12), 65-84. (Persian)

Ghanbari, S., Dehghan, M., & Miraki Anari, H. (2016). Factors affecting the development of entrepreneurship in rural tourism case study: Villages in the Central Anar Township. Tourism Management Studies, 10(32), 1-20.

Hafeez, K., Zhang, Y., & Malak, N. (2002). Determining key capabilities of a firm using analytic hierarchy process. International journal of production economics, 76(1), 39-51.

Heilig, K., & Gerhard, M. (2002). European Rural Development, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Luxemburg, Austria.

Hessam, M., Rezvani, M., Faraji, H., & Bastani, S. (2016). Assessment of tourism entrepreneurship development in rural areas (case study: villages of Larijn). Human Geography Research Journal, 48(4), 603-616.

Hosseininia, Gh., & Aliabadi, V.(2021). The model design for tourism entrepreneurship entrepreneurial ecosystem growth in the rural environment of iran from the perspective. Iran Agricultural Extension and Education Journal, 17, 195-213.  

Iman, T. & Noshadi, M. R. (2012). Qualitative content analysis. Pazhuhesh, 3(2), 15-44. (Persian)

Jamshidi, A. & Khatounabadi, S. A. (2013). Identifying the causes and factors of deprivation trap in rural communities of Ilam Province: A case study of rice plantation regions in Shirvan and Chardavol County. Journal of Village and Development, 15 (2), 79-108. (Persian)

Kala, C. P., & Maikhuri, R. K. (2011). Mitigating people-park conflicts on resource use through ecotourism: A case of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Indian Himalaya. Journal of Mountain Science, 8(1), 87-95.

Karimi, S. (2015). Agri-tourism entrepreneurship: A new strategy for sustainable rural development. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Agriculture, 1 (4), 69-90. (Persian)

Korani, Z.(2020).  explaining of scenario, strategies and solutions for development of rural tourism (the case study: Rijab tourism area). Agricultural Extension and Education Research, 13(3), 27-46.

Lordkipanidze, M., Brezet, H., & Backman, M. (2005). The entrepreneurship factor in sustainable tourism development. Journal of Cleaner Production, 13,787- 798.

Lordkipanidze, Maia. (2002). Enhancing entrepreneurship in rural tourism for sustainable regional development: The case of Söderslätt Region. Sweden: The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE); International Miljö Institute.

Mahdavi, M., Ghadiri Masoum, M., & Ghahramani, N. (2018). Impacts of tourism on rural development: attitudes of rural people in Kan v ally and Sooleghan subdistrict in Tehran County. Village and Development, 11(2), 39-60. (Persian)

Markley, Deborah M. (2002). Entrepreneurship in Rural America, Prepared for the NCSL Rural Development Task Force; Center for Rural Entrepreneurship.

Nazari, H., Jamshidi, A.,  & Seidaiy, S. E. (2020).  Investigating fundamental educational factors affecting the development of rural tourism entrepreneurship in Ardal County by using fs/QCA. Agricultural Extension and Education Research, 13(3), 15-26.

Osooli, N., & Valinejad, M.(2021). Designing rural tourism development strategies using SWOT Method (Case Study: Central Part of Khorramabad County. (Iran Agricultural Extension and Education Journal, 17, 215-229.

Pourjafar, M., Mahmoodi Nezhad, H., Aylka, S., & Aghebat Bekheir, H. (2012). A meta-analysis of rural tourism development evaluation with an emphasis on strategic factors (SWOT). Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 14(2), 61-79. (Persian)

Reinhold, T. A. (2000). The role of the Tourism in development planning, Department of Business management.

Rezaei, A., Zarafshani, K., Shiri, N. & Khoshmaram, M. (2016). Identifying tourism entrepreneurship development constraints: Case study in Marvdasht Towenship. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Agriculture, 3 (3), 57-70. (Persian)

Rezvani, A. A. (2019). Geography and Tourism Industry. Payame Noor University Press, Tehran. (Persian)

Rokneddin Eftekhari, A., Sojasi Ghidari, H., & Razavi, S (2018). Strategies for the development of agricultural entrepreneurship in Iran\'s rural areas: A case study of Khodabandeh County. Village and Development, 13(3), 1-29. (Persian)

Rostami, F., & Ehsanifar, T.(2018).  Accelerators of rural entrepreneurship development. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Agriculture, 5(2), 71-82.

Torkashvand, Z.(2018). The impact of tourism entrepreneurship on the spatial economy of village sample: Abbas Barzegar Tourism village, Bavanat. Geography and Human Relation, 1(3), 247-262.

Zarafshani K, Sharafi L, Garavandi S, & Ghobadi P. (2013). The investigation of tourism development impact upon promotion of social – economic indices in rural areas, case: Rijab Resort in Kermanshah Province. Journal Space Economy and Rural Development, 2(5), 119-134. (Persian)