Sustainable Ecotourism Assessment in the Southern Foothills of the Alborz (Kan to Darabad River Valleys) Using the DPSIR Framework

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Esmaeil Ghaderi ¹
• Seyed Sepehr Aarabi ¹
• Gholamreza Kazemian ¹
• Ahmad Pourahmad ²

¹ Allameh Tabatabaei Univercity, Tehran , Iran

² Tehran university, Tehran, Iran.

10.22067/jrrp.v14i2.2507-1142

Abstract

Purpose- During the 21st century, ecotourism has become a mainstream alternative for tourists. It is a critical approach to integrating economic growth with the protection of the environment, ensuring sustainable tourism while at the same time transforming modalities of tourism. The aim of the research is to evaluate the impacts of ecotourism in the southern slopes of the Alborz region by utilizing the DPSIR approach.
Design/methodology/approach- The research location is the old settlements from Kan to Darabad that enjoy a large tourism potential with various attractions (natural, human, infrastructural, and physical). The sites enjoy a combination of tourism activities (ecotourism, cultural, sportive, food, and religious). The research is applied research in objective and descriptive-analytical in method. The data has been collected through library research (statistical and documentary) and field research (survey and interviews).
Findings- The research population in this study included 30 experts, including experts in field of tourism, professors from universities, officials from the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization of Tehran, and officials from various related organizations, selected with the Delphi method. The research tried to evaluate the effects of ecotourism in the southern slopes of Alborz by utilizing the DPSIR approach, which showed that environmental effects at the five-element level -Driving Force, Pressure, State, Impact, and Response- make it possible to undertake a cause-and-effect analysis of environmental pressures from ecotourism. The results of the research identified 10 driving forces, 7 pressure elements, 9 state indicators, and 9 effects. The main response favored policy-making, strategic planning, and management in utilizing natural and human opportunities, capabilities, and resources of the southern slopes of Alborz. The goal is to achieve sustainable development of tourism and the region through nature-based integrated sustainable tourism by converting current challenges and weaknesses into strengths and windows of opportunities.
Research limitations/implications- The vast geographical region that is encompassed by the research from Kan to Darabad was prone to numerous limitations, including the non-availability of official data pertaining to the volume of tourists and tourism-based attributes of the research region, non-response of certain tourists to certain questions that were asked during the survey, and time limitations for the completion of the questionnaire.
Originality/value- The research employed the use of past research to promote theoretical research discussion and to seek alternative research indicators through the use of scoring with the DPSIR methodology.

Keywords

• Impact Assessment
• Ecotourism
• Southern Alborz Foothills Environment
• DPSIR Framework

Main Subjects

• Rural Studies

---

References

1. Aliakbari, E. (2016). Geography of tourism in Iran (3rd ed.). Tehran: Samt Publications. [In Persian]
2. Aliya, T.Z. (2011). Legal status of ecotourism in Iran. Taali-ye Hoquq, 3(11), 129–140. [In Persian] https://www.vekalatonline.ir/userfiles/Files/Taali-Hoghogh/10/m.olya7.pdf
3. Benameur, K. B., Mostafa, M. M., Hassanein, A., Shariff, M. Z., & Al-Shattarat, W. (2024). Sustainability reporting scholarly research: a bibliometric review and a future research agenda. Management Review Quarterly, 74(2), 823-866.‏ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11301-023-00319-7
4. Bhuiyan, N. (2011). A framework for successful new product development. Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management, 4(4), 746-770. http://dx.doi.org/10.3926/jiem.334
5. Binder, C. R., Hinkel, J., Bots, P. W. G., & Pahl-Wostl, C. (2013). Comparison of Frameworks for Analyzing Social-ecological Systems. Ecology and Society, 18(4). http://www.jstor.org/stable/26269404
6. Blamey, R. K. (2001). Principles of Ecotourism, the Encyclopedia of Ecotourism. New York: CAB International. https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851993683.0005
7. Boroumand, A. A., & Karimi, A. (2021). Re-conceptualizing and presenting a conceptual model for sustainable ecotourism based on public participation. Journal of Environmental Science Studies, 6(1), 3419–3433. [In Persian] https://www.jess.ir/article_127544
8. Bunruamkaew, K., & Murayam, Y. (2011). Site suitability evaluation for ecotourism using GIS & AHP: A case study of Surat Thani province, Thailand. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 21, 269-278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.07.024
9. Ceballos-Lascuráin, H. (1996) Tourism, Ecotourism and Protected Areas: The State of Nature-Based Tourism around the World and Guidelines for Its Development. IUCN Publications, Cambridge, 301. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/iucn.ch.1996.7.en
10. Cheia, G. (2013). Ecotourism: Definition and concepts. Revista de turism-studii și cercetări în turism, (15), 56-60. https://revistadeturism.ro/index.php/rdt/article/view/461
11. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Self-Determination Theory. In P. A. M. Van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of Theories of Social Psychology (pp. 416-437, Vol. 1). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446249215.n21
12. Drumm, A., & Moore, A. (2002). Ecotourism development. A manual for conser vation planners and managers. Volume I: An introduction to ecotourism planning. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Virginia, USA.
13. Fleischer, A., & Tchetchik, A. (2005). Does rural tourism benefit from agriculture? Tourism Management, 26, 493-501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2003.10.003
14. Gunn, C. A., & Var, T. (2002). Tourism planning: Basics, concepts, cases. Psychology Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003061656
15. Habibi, M. (2015). The formation of a city: The history of Tehran’s physical developments. Tehran: University of Tehran, Center for Studies and Research on Urban Planning and Architecture. (in Persian)
16. Healy, N., & Carvao, S. (2023). World Tourism Organization. In Encyclopedia of Tourism(pp. 1-3). Springer, Cham. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01384-8_413
17. Imani, B., & Alavi, S. (2022). An Analysis of the Infrastructure for the Development of Rural Ecotourism in Ardabil Province. Journal of Research and Rural Planning, 11(4), 73-98. https://doi:10.22067/jrrp.v11i4.2207.1053
18. Iran Meteorological Organization. (2021). Annual climatology report of Tehran Province (Northern Tehran stations). Tehran: Ministry of Roads and Urban Development. (In Persian)
19. Irani, S., Ahmadi, N., & Rostami, M. (2022). Application of the DPSIR framework in analyzing the effects of rapid development on natural ecosystems of Iran. Iranian Journal of Ecology, 10(1), 15–32. (in Persian)
20. Jin, W., Drueke, E., Li, S., Admasu, A., Owen, R., Day, M., Sun, K., Cheong, S.-W., & Zhao, L. (2020). Observation of a ferro-rotational order coupled with second-order nonlinear optical fields. Nature Physics, 16(1), 42-46. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-019-0695-1
21. Khatibi, A., Danekar, A., Pour-Ebrahim, Sh., & Vahid, M. (2015). Introduction of the DPSIR model and its applicability in environmental decision-making. Human and Environment, 13(4), 65–79. (In Persian) https://he.srbiau.ac.ir/article_8959_bb9010bc043fcb0825a5baa9669a8cd3.pdf
22. Kiani Salmi, S., Heydari Soureshjani, R., & Basereh, H. (2018). Investigating the Tendency of the Rural Society to Tourism Development and Identifying the Factors Affecting It (Case Study: Tourism Villages of Karaj). Journal of Research and Rural Planning, 7(3), 83-102. https://doi:10.22067/jrrp.v7i3.67853
23. Kouzehgar, L., Moslemi, A., & Vahidian, M. (2015). Impact of service units’ wastewater on water quality of northern Tehran river valleys (Case study: Darakeh and Darband). Environmental Sciences Quarterly, 13(4), 113–124. [In Persian] https://envs.sbu.ac.ir/article_97582
24. Kristensen, (2004). The DPSIR framework. National Environmental Research Institute, Denmark, 10, 1-10.‏ https://www.academia.edu/download/124687946/Microsoft_s.doc.pdf
25. Kumari, S., Behera, M., & Tewari, H. (2010). Identification of potential ecotourism sites in West District, Sikkim using geospatial tools. Tropical ecology, 51(1), 75-85. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.5555/20103030865
26. Lewison, R., Rudd, M., Al-Hayek, W., Baldwin, C., Beger, M., Lieske, S., Jones, C., Satumanatpan, S., Junchompoo, C., & Hines, E. (2016). How the DPSIR framework can be used for structuring problems and facilitating empirical research in coastal systems. Environmental Science & Policy, 56, 110-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2015.11.001
27. Mahalati, S. (2003). An introduction to tourism (2nd ed.). Tehran: Shahid Beheshti University Press. [In Persian]
28. McKinney, T. (2018). Ecotourism. In W. Trevathan (Ed.), The International Encyclopedia of Biological Anthropology https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118584538.ieba0149
29. Mohammadian, A. A., Ghasemi, H., & Houshmand Fini, G. (2009). Shemiran County. Tehran: Iranian Encyclopedia Foundation. [In Persian]
30. Mohammadpour, R. (2021). Environmental impact assessment of tourism development on the Lute Desert using DPSIR-TOPSIS framework. Journal of Ecotourism and Environmental Planning, 10(3), 45–62. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.20080875.2021.26.2.5.9
31. Nazari, A. (2009). Economic valuation of protected areas and their role in sustainable development. Iranian Journal of Environment, 9(2), 2. [In Persian] https://civilica.com/doc/238365
32. Niyazmand, Mziyar. (2004). Ecotourism: Definitions, concepts, and requirements for development. Koja Monthly, 1, 28. [In Persia] http://noo.rs/eqTqf
33. Reichman, J. (1996, January). Remarks by Jerome Reichman. In Proceedings of the ASIL Annual Meeting(Vol. 90, pp. 276-284). Cambridge University Press.‏ https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272503700086353
34. Salehi, A. Sh. L. Z. A. S. V. R. (2018). Analysis of the factors influencing human environmental conditions in Tehran based on the DPSIR model. Human Geography Research, 2(18). [In Persian] https://doi.org/10.22059/jhgr.2016.59970
35. Sojasi Ghidari, H., Roknodin eftekhari, A., & Purtaheri, M. (2014). Prioritizing Ecotourism Entrepreneurship Development in Rural Regions (Case Study: Villages with on River-Valley Tourism Potentials in Tehran province). Journal of Research and Rural Planning, 3(1), 13-27. http://doi:10.22067/jrrp.v3i5.19611
36. Tavakolinia, D. J., Motakan, A. A., Sarrafi, M., & Burburi, F. (2017). Assessing the impacts of ecotourism on the Rudbar Qasran and Lavasanat region using the DPSIR framework. Iranian Journal of Remote Sensing & GIS, 10(1), 109–126. [In Persian] https://gisj.sbu.ac.ir/article_96439_b91c1b4480c73c6b948e31c028e5a39f.pdf
37. Tehran Municipality Environmental Studies Office. (2021). Report on the analysis of Tehran’s environmental status with emphasis on mountainous areas. Tehran: Tehran Municipality, Deputy for Urban Services, Organization for Urban Beautification. [In Persian]
38. Tehran Regional Water Company. (2019). Report on the status of surface and groundwater resources in northern Tehran (Case study: Darakeh and Darband). Tehran: Ministry of Energy, Iran Water Resources Management Company. [in Persian]
39. Tehran Urban & Suburban Railway Operation Company. (2021). Annual report on public transportation performance with emphasis on tourist stations (Tajrish and Northern Tehran). Tehran: Tehran Municipality, Deputy for Transportation and Traffic. [In Persian]
40. Tehran Municipality, (2024). Developments in the population of Tehran and its environment. Tehran: Tehran Municipality
41. TIES. (2002). The International Ecotourism Society. Ecotourism: In collaboration with Principles, Practices and Policies for http://www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/library/ecotourism.htm
42. Trišić, I., Nechita, F., Milojković, D., & Štetić, S. (2023). Sustainable tourism in protected areas—Application of the prism of sustainability model. Sustainability, 15(6), 5148. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065148
43. Wondirad, A. (2020). Ecotourism development challenges and opportunities in Wondo Genet and its environs, southern Ethiopia. Journal of Place Management and Development, 13(4), 465-491. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMD-12-2018-0109
44. Yang, B., Ding, L., Zhan, X., Tao, X., & Peng, F. (2022). Evaluation and analysis of energy security in China based on the DPSIR model. Energy Reports, 8, 607-615. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2022.01.229
45. Zakaei, M. (2011). Environmental status of Tehran. [In Persian]