Journal of Sustainable Urban & Regional Development Studies (JSURDS)

Abstract Background and Objective: In recent years, geotourism, as a branch of sustainable tourism, has attracted increasing attention, especially in rural areas with geomorphological diversity. This type of tourism can contribute to the economic and social development of local communities by enhancing scientific awareness, preserving geological resources, and strengthening local cultural identity. Despite its natural potential, geotourism in Iran has not yet been fully developed. Khalkhal County (specifically the Hashtjin region) in the south of Ardabil Province, due to its geomorphological attractions, has significant potential in this field. The aim of this study is to analyze the role of geotourism components in the economic development of three villages: Barandaq, Kazaj, and Namehil.
Methodology: This applied research was conducted using a mixed-method approach (quantitative–qualitative). Data were collected through library research, field observations, and geomorphological tools. The statistical population included 30 tourists and 15 experts, selected purposefully from the three villages of Barandaq, Kazaj, and Namehil. The main data collection tools were two structured questionnaires based on the models of Kubalikova and Feuillet. Spatial data were gathered using geological and topographic maps, GPS, and satellite images, and analyzed using ArcGIS, Excel, and SPSS software.
Results and Findings: According to the Kubalikova model, Kazaj village, with a score of 10.25, possesses the highest geotourism potential among the studied villages due to its outstanding scientific and educational features. Namehil ranked second with a score of 10.00, owing to its strong economic and cultural indicators, while Barandaq, with a score of 9.25, ranked third due to weaknesses in conservation indicators. The Feuillet model results also confirmed Kazaj’s superiority; this village received the highest scores in management rate (0.75) and tourism rate (0.62). Data comparison showed that Kazaj offers a favorable combination of geographic diversity, accessibility, relative conservation, and cultural values, while Namehil and Barandaq, despite their natural capacities, require improvement in terms of management and infrastructure. The simultaneous use of both analytical models provides a more accurate perspective on the geotourism status and economic development potential of these villages.
Conclusion: The study results showed that geotourism contributes to the economic development of rural areas only when accompanied by scientific management, sustainable conservation, and cultural utilization. The mere presence of geological attractions is not sufficient; management plays a decisive role. Kazaj was identified as the most successful model due to its integration of scientific, cultural, and infrastructural components. In contrast, Namehil and Barandaq have not fully utilized their potentials due to managerial shortcomings. The application of the Kubalikova and Fiolet models can serve as a foundation for targeted planning and conservation in rural geotourism.

Abstract Background and Objective: Geotourism is a branch of sustainable tourism that focuses on the geological features and natural landscapes of a region. Tourism has various forms and types that are related to geography and tourism. The purpose of the present study is to investigate and assess the geomorphological and geotourism potential of Mahabad city, which is based on the sustainability model. The purpose of this study is to evaluate geotourism potential and its management in the tourist area of West Azerbaijan province, Mahabad city.
Methodology: The research method in this study is based on three models of Kobalikwa and Feoult. In the Kobalikwa model, the criteria are classified into five groups: scientific and intrinsic values, educational values, economic values, conservation values, and other values, which covers almost all features of geotourism. In this method, geomorphosite and landforms were selected for study and evaluation according to four criteria of origin of formation, geographical distribution, tourism and general accessibility of this national park.
Results and findings: The results obtained from the Kobalikova evaluation model showed that the geotourism areas of Mahabad city, according to experts, in the category of diversity in geomorphological forms, the geotourism area of Saholan Water Cave and Kani Barzan Wetland with a numerical average of 0.7 in the Violet model and the Saholan Cave and Kani Barzan Wetland area have obtained the highest score compared to other studied areas. This result indicates the importance and high value of these areas in terms of investment for the development of geotourism and attracting tourists. As a result, it is suggested that more up-to-date models be used in future studies to examine the studied areas and that by establishing inter-organizational cooperation and training and empowering local communities along with infrastructure development, the high geotourism capacities of Mahabad city can become a sustainable source of income and employment.

Abstract Geotourism focuses on human interaction with geomorphological phenomena, where natural landforms as geomorphosites play a key role in attracting tourists and sustainable tourism development. This type of tourism is of interest to both experts and nature enthusiasts. The present study, with an integrated approach, follows an analysis Geotourism and geomorphological potentials of the Heyran Pass region in Astara County, which is considered one of the mountainous regions prone to the development of natural tourism in northwest Iran. For this purpose, two valid analytical models, namely the "Kobalikova" model for the evaluation of geosites and the "Feuillet" model for the examination of management and application indicators, were used. Research data were extracted and weighted through a combination of field observations, specialized questionnaires (with a statistical population consisting of 28 experts and 15 tourists) and spatial analysis. The evaluation of five key indicators including scientific, educational, conservation, economic and added value was carried out in the three regions of Mashand, Chamlar and Gilde.The research findings showed that Gilde village, with a final score of 4.75 out of 5 in the K.F model, has the highest potential for the development of geotourism; while Mashand has the lowest level of readiness with a score of 3.25. Effective factors such as inadequate infrastructure, weak education and lack of documented cultural connection have reduced its score. Chamlar with a score of 4.25 ranked second and is in a good position in terms of geomorphological diversity and local community participation. Overall, the article shows that by developing educational, cultural and management infrastructure, these areas can be exploited for the sustainable development of geotourism.

Abstract Background and Aim: Ecotourism, as a sustainable approach to utilizing natural resources, plays a significant role in improving the livelihoods and economic resilience of local communities. In border regions, this approach can, in addition to creating employment opportunities, enhance cultural identity and social interactions. This study examined the impact of cultural–social dimensions of ecotourism on the sustainable economic development of border residents in Ardabil Province, Iran. The novelty of this research lies in its localized focus on border areas and in analyzing the effects of cultural–social dimensions on sustainable economic indicators, an issue that has received limited attention in previous studies.
Methodology: This applied research employed a descriptive–analytical method. The statistical population consisted of residents of the border areas of Ardabil Province, with a sample size of 384 individuals determined using Cochran’s formula and selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS through descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlation, and multiple regression analysi.
Results and Findings: The results indicated that all cultural–social components had a positive and significant relationship with sustainable economic development at the bivariate level. However, in the multivariate model, environmental education and awareness and institutional trust had the strongest positive effects, whereas cultural attitudes and social capital showed significant negative effects. Local participation also had a positive and significant, but weaker, effect compared to the correlations.The findings highlight the importance of investing in environmental education, strengthening institutional trust, and enhancing local participation to promote sustainable economic development. Moreover, the need to reform cultural approaches and improve social capital to align with sustainability goals was emphasized. Overall, the results can serve as a strategic basis for developing ecotourism-oriented policies in the country’s border regions.

Abstract Background and Objective: Today, the tourism industry has become one of the main sources of income and employment creation at the international level. Identifying the geotourism potential and tourist attractions of each region, along with proper planning, can help develop this industry and attract tourists. Despite having high tourism capabilities, the tourist village of Bileh Darq has remained unknown due to lack of attention and investment, insufficient advertising, etc. The main objective of this research was to investigate the ecotourism capabilities of Bileh Darq village using the Pereira model.
Methodology: This region has always been of great interest to tourists due to its many natural attractions (ecotourism and geotourism). This research has investigated and analyzed the geotourism and ecotourism capabilities of the village of Bileh Daragh using the Pereira model. For this purpose, using the opinions of experts, local people and tourists, questions designed for the Pereira model (40 questionnaires) were conducted, tested and analyzed.
Findings and Conclusion: After calculating the data with the Pereira model, the geomorphological grade of the region was 3.7, which was obtained from the scientific value indices of 4.25 and the complementary value indices of 3.05. In addition, the management grade of the researched area was 7.6, which was obtained from the calculation of the conservation value indices of 2.05 and the functional value indices of 4.65. Finally, the tourist village of Bileh Daragh has obtained a score of 14 out of a maximum of 20 points in total values, which indicates the high ecotourism capabilities. However, the region's geotourism attractions remain unknown due to lack of investment and adequate advertising. The results of this study can help tourism managers and planners to plan properly and develop the tourism industry and attract tourists with scientific support and considering the region's geotourism capabilities.

Abstract Background and Aim: Geotourism is a special form of tourism industry in which tourists are the center of attention. A geosite can be a landscape, a group of various forms of unevenness of the earth's surface (landforms) or a single landform, a rock outcrop, as well as fossil layers or a particular fossil. The present study is to assess the geotourism and geomorphological capabilities in tourist villages of Ardabil province.
Methods and Material: This study is descriptive-analytical-applied in terms of its purpose and uses Pavlova models to evaluate the competitiveness of the studied areas and is based on the formation of positive and negative factors and calculations related to them; The Violet model, which examines geotourism areas based on four criteria of origin, geographical distribution, tourism, and accessibility, and finally the Kobalikova model, which emphasizes scientific, educational, economic, conservation, and additional criteria, was used.
Results and Discussion: Based on the results obtained from the evaluation of the Pavlova geotourism model, these results were obtained: the geotourism areas of Biledarq, Khojin, and Sardabeh were ranked in the excellent, good, and appropriate competitiveness weights, respectively. The results obtained from applying the Violet model also showed that in the management section of the studied areas, Biledarq region was assigned a score of 0.68, and in the tourism rate section, Khojin village was assigned a score of 0.70, which indicates the relative superiority of welfare potentials. Also, based on the results of the Kobalikwa model, the village of Bileh Daragh has obtained high scores in most of the evaluation sub-indices and, with a total score of 11, has a high value compared to other villages under study. Therefore, it is concluded that Bileh Daragh village has high geotourism capabilities and potentials and can play a significant role in the growth and expansion of the tourism industry in the region. Finally, it is suggested that in order to identify the capacities of geotourism areas, they should be evaluated with different models in future studies