Journal of Sustainable Urban & Regional Development Studies (JSURDS)

Abstract Background and Objective: Geotourism is a type of tourism that studies the natural environment, shapes and landforms because of their attractiveness. Today, tourism is rapidly becoming one of the main pillars of economic, social, cultural and political development. Given this role and position, the existence of tourism in a place can not only be effective in the development of that place but also affect the development process of some indicators in its surrounding environment. The purpose of this research is to investigate and evaluate the tourist attractions of Darmin County (the land of historical castles) and find solutions to attract tourists and develop geotourism in the region. For this purpose, 8 geosites and tourist attractions (Abgarm Village due to its hot spring and the tomb of Sultan Ebrahim Reza, Lakhdarideh, Dushangan Tree, Mulla Emad Sand Hill, Hindalan Mosque, Tabas Asbad, Forg Castle and Torsh-Ab) were investigated.
Methodology: The present study is applied and descriptive-survey type in which the data collection method was documentary and survey using questionnaires of tourists and residents of the region. Also, the M-GAM model was used to analyze the data using SPSS.26, ARC GIS and Excel software.
Results and findings: The results showed that Darman County, despite its abundant and pristine tourist attractions, lacks suitable facilities to attract tourists; however, Qale Forg has the highest score in most of the indicators studied. Tourism values have the highest score with 0.875 and scientific-educational values have the lowest score with 0.396.

Abstract Background and Objective: In today's economy, tourism is recognized as one of the key indicators of development and an effective tool for achieving sustainable development. This industry plays a significant role in the economic growth of countries by increasing national income, creating employment, attracting domestic and foreign investment, fostering regional development, and generating foreign exchange earnings. Nevertheless, despite the emphasis on expanding tourism in all development plans and on moving away from a single-product economy reliant on oil exports, Iran has not achieved considerable, tangible, or noticeable success in this area. Therefore, the present study examines the effects of tourism on urban development and economic growth in three provinces—Ardabil, West Azerbaijan, and East Azerbaijan—over the period 2011–2023 (1390–1402 in the Persian calendar). The aim is to determine, considering the tourism potentials of these regions, whether tourism has been able to influence their regional development and growth.
Methodology: The present study is applied in terms of objective, and a library method was used to collect statistics and data. Accordingly, the required data were extracted using the statistical yearbooks of the studied provinces for the period 2011–2023, and a regression model was estimated using the panel data regression method.
Results and Findings: The estimation results of the model indicate that the tourism variable has a positive and significant effect on the economic growth of the studied provinces. Specifically, a one percent increase in the number of incoming tourists to a province leads to a 0.11 percent increase in its economic growth. In other words, despite the existing tourism potentials in these three provinces, particularly their beautiful forest and mountain areas and historical buildings, although the impact of tourism on production growth in these three provinces has been positive, the magnitude of this effect is lower than expected. Furthermore, the coefficients for physical capital, human capital, and labor are estimated to be 0.26, 0.21, and 0.39, respectively. That is, holding other conditions constant, a one percent change in physical capital, human capital, and labor changes the level of output by 0.26%, 0.21%, and 0.39%, respectively.

Abstract Purpose and Background: Sports tourism, as one of the dynamic economic and cultural sectors, plays a significant role in the sustainable development of regions with natural potential. Mazandaran Province, with its diverse water, mountainous, and coastal attractions, has considerable capacity for this type of tourism. Accordingly, the present study aimed to identify the factors affecting the sustainable development of sports tourism in Mazandaran city.
Methodology: The present study was applied research conducted using a qualitative approach through thematic analysis. The statistical population included professors and experts in sports management, tourism specialists, urban planning experts, tourism agency managers, and Ph.D. researchers in sports management and tourism. The research sample was selected through purposive and snowball sampling methods. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 experts until theoretical saturation was achieved. The validity of the study was confirmed by relevant specialists, and the reliability was obtained through the intra-subject agreement method with a coefficient of 87%.
Findings: The results indicated that the study identified 87 key points, 14 concepts, and 6 main categories. These main themes included: individual and communication characteristics of sports tourists, smart services and sustainable tourism safety, sports tourism destination marketing, sports tourism resource management, branding and credibility building in sports tourism, and sustainable tourism development requirements. Accordingly, the sustainable development of sports tourism requires coordinated interaction among human, infrastructural, managerial, and environmental factors. It is recommended that policymakers and tourism stakeholders in Mazandaran adopt an integrated approach, prioritize long-term planning based on local capacities, strengthen infrastructure, and provide training for specialized human resources.

Abstract Background and Objective: In today's world, for the realization of sustainable urban development, creative tourism is considered as a key variable that plays an important role in improving urban sustainability indicators. The present study, focusing on the city of Ahvaz, examines the necessity of how creative tourism can play a role as a powerful tool in improving urban sustainability indicators. By identifying the cultural and artistic potential of the city, it seeks to provide practical solutions to solve environmental, social and economic challenges, and in this way, it draws a path to achieving a sustainable and dynamic city.
Materials and Methods: The statistical population was 1,184,788 citizens of Ahvaz, of whom 384 were selected as a statistical sample using the Cochran formula and studied. Data analysis was performed through correlation analysis and structural equation modeling using SPSS and Smart PLS software.
Findings and Results: The results showed that the research measurement tool has high validity and reliability. The average variance extracted (AVE) values ​​for all constructs are above 0.5 and the composite reliability (CR) and Cronbach's alpha values ​​are also above 0.7, indicating the convergent validity and sufficient internal consistency of the instrument. In confirmatory factor analysis, the factor loadings showed that each sub-index is a strong and valid indicator for its respective construct, as almost all factor loadings were above 0.7. The highest factor loading was related to the "Creativity" sub-index (0.914) and the lowest was related to "Green Space" (0.631). These results confirm that the measurement model has high accuracy and validity.

Abstract Background and Objective: The present study aimed to design a model for the development of horse tourism in Khuzestan province based on databased theory. This study was conducted using a qualitative method by conducting semi-structured interviews with 15 professors and specialists in sports and youth departments who were selected using a purposive sampling method.
Methodology: The method of collecting information was through the study of previous research and conducting semi-structured interviews. To examine the face and content validity, the research findings were presented to the participants and they studied the text of the theory and then their opinions were applied. The method used to examine reliability was the intra-subject agreement method. The average intra-subject agreement was reported to be 0.83.
 Results and findings: : Based on a comprehensive analysis of interviews, the development of horse tourism in Khuzestan province is influenced by causal factors (human resources, economy, management), contextual conditions (infrastructure, security, environmental attractions), effective strategies (planning, participation, monitoring), and intervening factors (environment, technology, education). The successful development of this industry will lead to positive outcomes such as economic growth, social advancement, entrepreneurship, and cultural enrichment. Therefore, it is suggested that in order to develop horse tourism, considering the identified factors, focusing on improving infrastructure, strengthening management and strategic planning, and paying attention to intervening factors (environment, technology, education), the ground should be prepared for the active participation of stakeholders and benefiting from positive economic, social, and cultural outcomes.

Abstract Background and Aim: Heritage concepts with an emphasis on identity reflect the material and non-material lives of societies. Therefore, expanding the scope of tourism, as a field of study, reflects an increasing role in the protection of heritage in parallel with the documentation of museums. In the meantime, the tourism industry's development in the heritage field and economic growth are concerned with protecting cultural resources.
Methods: Thus, investigating the synergy of the tourism industry and intangible heritage will prevent the orientation of passive criteria. Therefore, the present study, to answer the question "What is the synergy effect of intangible heritage and tourism industry on sustainable development?", extracted the development criteria in the House of Museums of the World Heritage Protected Area of Tabriz Historical Bazaar, to explain the insights in acknowledging the relationship between these two articles, from library studies and historical documents approved by experts and specialists of the Cultural Heritage Organization of West Azerbaijan Province. Also, in terms of answering the question "How important are the tourists' experiences of the Tabriz Museum House in the development of tourism?", to measure the visitors' satisfaction with the quality of the infrastructure and resources available in the 8 houses of the museum in the historical area of the case study, structured questionnaires were distributed among 78 tourists on a five-point Likert scale.
Findings and Conclusion: In the integration of the extracted components and analysis of SPSS software with T-test, it was found that if the managers and stakeholders in the field of cultural heritage have a combined attitude towards the synergistic categories of tourism industry and intangible heritage, the procedure of conservation and transfer of intangible cultural heritage in the houses of museums in the study area will be improved.

Abstract Background and Objective: In recent years, expanding recreational spaces and promoting public sports have emerged as effective strategies for enhancing mental well-being and fostering social connections within urban settings. Despite this, the social dimensions of sports in public and tourism-oriented spaces have received limited attention in many Iranian cities, highlighting a gap in evidence-based policymaking. This study aims to investigate how participation in sports activities influences social relationships, mental health, and social identity within recreational and tourist environments.
Methodology: This applied research adopts a descriptive-survey approach. The target population includes individuals who utilize urban recreational and sports facilities. Using GPower software and statistical parameters (α = 0.05, power = 0.80, medium effect size = 0.50), a sample size of 106 participants was determined. Data were gathered through a researcher-designed questionnaire encompassing indicators such as sports participation, quality of recreational spaces, mental health, social relationships, social identity, and the influence of social media. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software. The Shapiro–Wilk test assessed data normality, and non-parametric tests—including Spearman's correlation and the Mann–Whitney U test—were applied for inferential analysis.
Findings and Conclusion:  The findings revealed a significant positive correlation between participation in recreational sports and mental health (r = 0.56, p < 0.01), as well as with the willingness to attend sports events (r = 0.41, p < 0.05). Moreover, significant gender-based differences were identified in the domains of social interaction and the perceived impact of sports on social identity (p < 0.05). Overall, engaging in sports activities within recreational environments contributes positively to psychological well-being, social engagement, and life satisfaction. Future research is recommended to explore additional factors that influence social interaction and to examine the role of digital media in encouraging public involvement in sports.

Abstract Background and Aim: Cultural-heritage tourism is important in representing the identity of its society as a distinctive aspect of the culture of any society. Visitors' dissatisfaction with the infrastructure disrupts the nature of the heritage. Therefore, paying attention to the category of tourism infrastructure to promote awareness, provides one of the effective grounds for the development of cultural-heritage tourism. The Takht-e-Soleiman World Heritage Complex welcomes domestic and foreign tourists every year due to its luxurious capital located in the city of Takab in West Azerbaijan province, but it is centralized in terms of the quality of tourism infrastructure.
Methods: The present study seeks to answer the question "What are the indicators of the quality of infrastructure in the field of heritage cultural tourism?" It deals with the role of infrastructure. Also, the answer to the question "From the tourists' point of view, what is the quality status of each of the cultural-heritage tourism infrastructures in the Takht-e-Soleiman World Heritage Area?" was investigated in explaining the achievement of the principles of tourism development in this valuable complex. The research method was analyzed as a mixed (qualitative-quantitative) applied type using structured questions in a five-point Likert format in SPSS software and 57 internal and external variables of 7 levels were identified to investigate the problems in the quality of infrastructure.
Findings and Conclusion: The results showed that most of the points of collision and interference happened in the marginal parking area of ​​commercial-service uses and with the area of ​​influence from the whole city that has not even provided the minimum parking area specified in the approved detailed plan of this city. Therefore, for any request for creation, development, or change of land use, its traffic impacts must be checked in addition to complying with the established principles and criteria.

Abstract Background and Objective: Historical sites and buildings are considered to be among the most important urban spaces that can play a significant role in sustainable urban development. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting the role of historical buildings in urban tourism.
Methodology: To collect data, library resources were used to write an introduction and semi-structured interviews were conducted in two stages to achieve research indicators. In the first interview, the experts were asked to introduce the main actors and important goals related to the research objective. In the next stage, after forming the actor-actor matrix and the actor-goal matrix, they were provided to the experts and they were asked to complete the aforementioned matrices according to the guidelines. After collecting data related to the actors and targets affecting the research objective, actor-actor and actor-target matrices were formed and then provided to the experts in Word format. They were asked to indicate the actors' effects on each other with the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4, where 0 indicates no effect and 4 indicates the most effect. Then, they were asked to indicate the actors' level of agreement and disagreement with the goals through the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, -1, -2, -3, and -4, where 0 indicates no opinion, 4 indicates the most agreement, and -4 indicates the most disagreement. After entering the experts' opinions into the MACTOR software, analyses related to the desired topics, such as the most influential actors and other required items, were conducted, and the results obtained were used in the present study.
Findings and Conclusion: The results showed that the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Department and the Islamic City Councils were recognized as the most influential and competitive tourism actors and experts, and tourism and travel service companies were recognized as the most impressive actors. Also, installing advertising banners on historical buildings throughout the city was identified as the most important goal by the actors. In general, it can be stated that decisions made in the Department of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Islamic City Councils, and municipalities have the greatest impact on the planning process for a better role for historical monuments and sites in urban tourism, as well as the performance of other actors related to the aforementioned process. Therefore, the three mentioned bodies must put specialized decisions on their agenda that are in line with the conditions of the region in question, so that these decisions serve as a bridge of communication and a guide for other actors in carrying out their roles. Also, history experts, archaeologists, urban planners, urban tourism experts, and tourism and travel service companies, as other players in the planning process, must strengthen their connections and make consistent decisions so that these decisions complement each other and prevent obstacles and problems from occurring.

Abstract Background and Objective: Sports tourism, as a growing industry, can play an important role in the economic and social development of different regions. Khuzestan Province, with its diverse natural, historical, and cultural capacities, has a high potential for the development of this type of tourism. The aim of this study is to identify and prioritize the factors affecting sports tourism in Khuzestan Province.
Methodology: In this regard, the present study is applied in terms of its purpose and analytical-exploratory in terms of its nature and method. This study was conducted with an applied approach, using a descriptive-analytical method and collecting the opinions of 30 experts in the field of sports tourism through the Delphi method, and using the DANP technique and Excel software.
Results and Findings: In this study, 6 general indicators and 22 sub-indicators were identified that affect sports tourism in Khuzestan Province. Next, using the Danp technique, the influential indicators were identified and prioritized to determine which of these indicators have the greatest impact on sports tourism in Khuzestan Province. The results of his research showed that the development of this industry requires a multifaceted approach; so that management and planning factors play a key role as the main axis, influencing other factors. Also, socio-cultural, economic, marketing, infrastructure and environmental factors are significantly involved in this process. Along with these macro factors, the sub-indicators of a suitable climate, attracting foreign capital and social participation have been identified as the main drivers of the development of sports tourism in Khuzestan. These results provide a practical roadmap for policymakers and planners to focus on these key factors to provide the grounds for sustainable growth and prosperity of sports tourism in the province.

Abstract Background & Aim: Several factors contribute to the development of tourism in a region, among which climate is one of the most significant. Climate acts as a key driver or deterrent for tourism in any given area. This study aims to compare the results of two models, TCI (Tourism Climate Index) and UTCI (Universal Thermal Climate Index), and to provide a climate zoning analysis for comfort and discomfort in various locations across the provinces of Ardabil, West Azerbaijan, and East Azerbaijan on a monthly and seasonal scale.
Methods and Material: In this research, based on the thermal thresholds of the TCI and UTCI indices, a bioclimatic atlas for the provinces of Ardabil, West Azerbaijan, and East Azerbaijan was developed on a monthly and seasonal basis, and the results were compared. The UTCI index was calculated using RayMan and Bioklima software. The data were interpolated using the Kriging method in ArcGIS, and the corresponding maps were created.
Results & Conclusion:
According to the results of the TCI index, the months of May, June, July, August, and September generally show favorable conditions across all stations, except for Parsabad in September, Mianeh and Khoy in August and July, Kaleybar in May, and Jolfa in June, which exhibit less favorable conditions. The seasonal analysis indicates that most stations in spring and summer are suitable, except for Parsabad in summer, Kaleybar in spring, and Jolfa and Khoy in summer, where conditions are less favorable. The results of the UTCI index reveal that, during May, June, July, August, and September, all stations exhibit favorable conditions except Parsabad and Sahand in May, which display less favorable conditions. In the seasonal analysis, all stations show suitable conditions in spring and summer, except for Sahand in spring. Based on the results, due to the mountainous nature of the studied provinces and the presence of snow and winter conditions conducive to winter tourism, planning can be undertaken to promote winter tourism, considering the months with more favorable numerical index values.

Abstract  
Background and Aim: Today, tourism is one of the main sources of income in many countries. Tourism development, in addition to paying attention to the infrastructure of the industry, requires comprehensive planning of understandable encouragement factors by tourists. Biophilic urban planning, which has been implemented in the 1990s, is a comprehensive approach to many factors of practical solutions. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to model the planning and biofilic approach to tourism in Mahabad.
Methodology:  The present study was conducted in a descriptive-analytical method with the aim of identifying and prioritizing the biofilic tourism. Research data was collected in a library as well as in the field through the questionnaire. Coronbach's alpha coefficient has been used using content validity and also has an acceptable coefficient of 0.77.
Findings and Conclusion:  The results of the study indicate that both the research hypotheses were confirmed and the Biofilic Indicators in Mahabad have been affected by emotional image, perceptual image, oral advertising, and intention to visit tourists, and the most influential of the mouth -to -mouth advertising factor The least impact was related to the intention to visit tourists. Also, according to the research experts, the first biophyllic city index needed for the study area is to increase parks in the urban hierarchy.

Abstract Background and Aim: Trying to find the best approach and solution for the restoration of historical tissues and localities has provoked many challenges, especially In line with this trend, the current research has investigated the role of culture as one of the important components that has been much considered and used in recent years in various urban areas, including the restoration and recreation of historical textures.
 Methods: In this regard; In this regard, firstly, by using the descriptive-analytical method, SWOT, and by using library studies and field impressions, the literature and the concept of culture and urban culture were investigated, and then the course of evolution and its application in the regeneration process was expressed. After that, the cultural neighborhood approach was specifically studied with an emphasis on attracting tourists as the latest approach in this field. an important role. plays in revitalizing identity and meaning.
Findings and Conclusion: The results of the research showed that The perspective of Khaqani Street, which is drawn in the direction of the desired image with the attitude of cultural artistic components, a passage that is based on its past roots and history, but with culture and the modern world along with cultural artistic components, causes a deeper and more tangible connection between today's residents and their historical past. It is designed using new spaces.

Abstract Background and Aim: Security is one of the most basic needs for tourists, and its lack is a big challenge to attract tourists, especially foreign tourists. Since the purpose of tourists from traveling is to gain mental and emotional peace; the lack of social security will decrease the acceptance of tourists. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between social security indicators on the loyalty of foreign tourists in Shiraz.
Methods: applied research and its method is based on descriptive-analytical method. In order to collect the required data, documentary and field methods (questionnaire) have been used. The statistical population was tourists visiting Shiraz city in 2018. The sampling method was random and multi-stage cluster type. To measure the social security of tourists, 43 items have been used in the form of 4 indicators. Also, data analysis has been done using T, correlation coefficient and regression analysis methods.
Findings and Conclusion: The results of the research show that 4 social security indicators are above the average level from the point of view of tourists, and there is a strong and statistically significant correlation between the social security indicators. In the end, among the loyalty factors, the travel experience component with a value of 0.319 had the largest share among other loyalty factors. The results of the research show that 4 social security indicators are above the average level from the point of view of tourists, and there is a strong and statistically significant correlation between the social security indicators. In the end, among the loyalty factors, the travel experience component with a value of 0.319 had the largest share among other loyalty factors.

Abstract Today, planners believe that environmental quality is a key concept for regional and social planning and is associated with concepts such as quality of life, diversity of social space, physical characteristics, activities, spatial dependencies, and urban identity. Therefore, improving the quality of the environment has become one of the main goals of policy makers and urban planners. The purpose of this study is to investigate the importance of environmental quality components from the perspective of tourists in Isfahan metropolis. The research method in this study is descriptive-analytical and the data are prepared by survey method. The statistical population of this study includes tourists of Isfahan metropolis, which using a Cochran''s formula, a sample of 384 people was randomly selected and studied. This number was questioned through a questionnaire whose validity was tested using Cronbach''s alpha method. In this study, in order to analyze the data, the statistical approach of structural equation modeling (SEM) and the second-order five-factor confirmatory factor analysis test were used. The final results obtained from the elimination of the effects of measurement errors in the structural equation modeling approach, indicate the effectiveness of the evaluation of the tourist community of environmental quality, respectively, environmental, aesthetic and formal, semantic and perceptual dimensions, and finally functional and activity.