Analysis of the Impact of Smart Tourism on the Sustainable Development of Rural Businesses in Tafresh County, Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Aliakbar Anabestani ¹
• Yahya Darmanlou ²
• Bijan Rahmani ¹

¹ Shahid Beheshti University, Iran.

² Shahid Beheshti University, Iran

10.22067/jrrp.v13i3.2409-1109

Abstract

Purpose- Rural tourism is considered a potential solution for rural communities to overcome economic challenges; in this context, smart tourism can be viewed as a logical advancement from traditional tourism, providing a balanced approach to revitalizing rural settlements and creating new economic opportunities for farmers and local communities. Accordingly, given that smart tourism can play a significant role in the sustainable development of businesses and the overall economy of villages, the aim of this research is to analyse the impact of smart tourism on the sustainable development of rural businesses in the Tafresh County.
Design/methodology/approach- Therefore, this study is applied and employs a descriptive-analytical method, and from a paradigm perspective, it is classified as quantitative research. The required information was collected through both documentary-library and field methods. The statistical population of the study includes 28 villages in Tafresh County. In the field method, a researcher-made questionnaire was used. For data analysis, exploratory factor analysis, one-sample T-test, and the MARCOS multi-criteria decision-making model were utilized.
Findings - The results from the exploratory factor analysis indicated that among the five identified factors, social and infrastructural factors in smart tourism have the greatest impact on the sustainable development of rural businesses. The results from the MARCOS decision-making model also showed that the villages of Kookan, Khank, and Naqousan are in a more favorable position regarding the indicators of smart tourism in the sustainable development of rural businesses.

Keywords

• Smart tourism
• Rural businesses
• Exploratory factor analysis
• Infrastructural factor
• Tafresh County

Main Subjects

• Rural Studies

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