Introduction Ecotourism can serve as one of the effective strategies for economic, social, and environmental development of destinations. Nowadays, many policies aim to develop ecotourism and utilize ...its benefits, especially in the developing countries with rich natural resources. Iran is one of the countries with considerable potential for ecotourism development. However, there is no consistent plan to use the county’s potentialities in this respect. It is thus necessary to take serious measures to develop ecotourism and utilize Iran’s natural resources optimally. This study aims to propose a model of ecotourism development in Iran. Materials and Methods The present study relies on a mixed methods research design. Concerning the qualitative aspect, practitioners and experts were interviewed to extract the elements of the model. Then the data was analyzed through the method of thematic analysis. In the quantitative part, the dimensions and strategies were arranged into a questionnaire and were ranked by the tourism experts in Iran. Finally, the method of hesitant fuzzy sets was employed to analyze the data. Results and Discussion According to the results, the most important ecotourism development dimensions in Iran can be enumerated in order of importance as follows: management, infrastructure development, marketing and training, and human resource development. Moreover, the key ecotourism development strategies, in order of importance, are as follows: carrying out marketing activities to increase the market share of ecotourism, diversifying Iran’s ecotourism products, improving the access roads to tourism villages, and increasing the destination’s resilience to natural disasters. Conclusion Exploring the underlying conditions in Iran, this study proposed a model of ecotourism development in Iran as a potential destination for ecotourism. The findings can offer practical and scientific guidelines to managers and policymakers who seek to develop ecotourism in Iran.
This study aims to investigate the role of community participation and its impact on economic, environmental, and social sustainability in marine protected areas (MPAs) in Malaysia through the ...development of ecotourism. A structured questionnaire was employed for collecting data and analyzed using the partial least square method. The results indicate that community participation explains a significant amount of variance in ecotourism development. The findings reveal that ecotourism development contributes toward economic, social, and environmental sustainability directly and indirectly. This implies that ecotourism development and community participation are of paramount importance in achieving sustainable development in MPAs.
The potential development of the tourism sector is often associated with its role as one of the strengths of the source of income contribution to regional income. Sociologically, Maluku consists of a ...series of large and small islands with various beauties, makes Maluku an amazing tourist place in cultural customs and natural scenery. In this context, tourism development must refer to sustainable tourism development in Negeri Lumoli, Maluku-Indonesia, which has good tourism and culture. This research aimed to explain how to develop waterfalls as Ecotourism for sustainable tourism development in Negeri Lumoli. Sustainable tourism development refers to the World Tourism Organization, which includes environmentally, economically, and socio-culturally sustainable components. One form of sustainable tourism is Ecotourism. The tourism process is carried out by protecting and minimizing environmental impacts, maximizing benefits for residents, and maximizing tourist satisfaction. The development of an area into an ecotourism area will foster hope in the community so that Ecotourism can positively influence people's lives and the living environment. In this ecotourism research conducted in Negeri Lumoli, related to the existence of waterfalls, the results of the study indicate that community expectations from ecotourism development can support three important components of the community's economy, ecology that is still maintained, and socio-cultural sustainability, so that in the end it becomes a destination for tourism. Superior and sustainable tourism.
The commitment and attitudes of all stakeholders, as well as giving recognition to their value as partners in the ecotourism domain, are crucial elements in ensuring sustainable ecotourism ...development. The social capacity theory (SCT) posits that implementing networks of relationships is a fundamental basis for successful and sustainable tourism development. However, research has shown that the planning and management of numerous ecotourism development programs are marred by a top-down approach. This study examined the level of stakeholder participation in ecotourism activities in the Umfolozi Municipality to determine if any gaps exist in the participation structure of this key economic enterprise. A concurrent exploratory mixed methods design was operated using qualitative and quantitative survey. Qualitative data that were collected from purposefully sampled participants were thematically analysed, while quantitative data that were collected from conveniently sampled respondents were analysed using SPSS software. The findings highlight the centralisation of power and a fragmented ecotourism landscape in the study area that is plagued by manipulative participation, lack of collaboration, lac k of co-ordination, lack of awareness, and apathy among key stakeholders.
Mt. Musuan is a mountain ecosystem that is valued for its biodiversity and ecotourism. In order to further enhance the biodiversity and ecotourism activities, the current status of its land uses and ...the carbon storage of its vegetation was assessed. Findings have shown four major ecosystems in the area – namely, natural forest, plantation forests, grass-shrubland, and agro-ecosystem – which respectively cover 16% (66 ha), 24% (103 ha), 39% (164 ha), and 20% (85 ha) of the mountain’s 425-ha total land area. Trails and physical facilities occupy the remaining 1%. Fifteen (15) land uses were delineated, wherein eight are forest plantations. The largest area was the G. arborea plantation that comprised 37% (38.23 ha), whereas the least was the P. caribaea plantation that only covers 0.7% (0.73 ha). The summit has an area of about 1800 m2, from which around 1000 m2 can be used by visitors for sightseeing and camping. The designated viewing area at the very top is much smaller and is estimated only at around 100 m2. In terms of vegetation carbon storage, the natural forest stores an estimated 208 Mg C ha–1. For the entire Mt. Musuan, an estimated 25,522 Mg C is stored, 47% (13,657 Mg C) of which is in the natural forest. The data and findings in this study will have potential use in planning. Based on the spatial pattern of the land uses, planners and implementers will be guided on where to put up development projects and investments related to biodiversity and ecotourism development. Effective management of the natural forest to protect its remaining biodiversity and carbon should be done. Accelerated rehabilitation of the grass-shrubland ecosystem should also be done to further enhance the biodiversity and ecotourism potential of the area, as well as its capacity to store carbon.
Empirical studies show that biodiversity conservation, ecotourism development, livelihoods of local people and ethnicity in protected areas significantly impact society's well-being. However, ...achieving the aforementioned goals is extremely difficult without strong support, commitment from host communities, and effective coordination among ecotourism stakeholders. This study sought to explore the perceptions of various stakeholders regarding the impacts and importance of ecotourism and their willingness to pay for ecotourism development and biodiversity conservation at Chilika Lake, Odisha. We conducted semi-structured interview of 250 respondents in different areas adjacent to Chilika Lake such as Balugaon, Barakul, Pathara and Khalikot. To grasp the above objectives, we used the contingent valuation method (CVM) and the Double Hurdle Model to identify the determinants of willingness to accept (WTA) and willingness to pay (WTP). Simple descriptive statistics were used to analyse the perception of ecotourism impacts. The study found that local people in the study region perceived both positive and negative impacts of ecotourism. There was sufficient evidence of conflicts of interest in resource use, limited community involvement in ecotourism planning and decision-making, and low economic benefits. However, the study also found that instead of a range of negative impacts, a variety of stakeholders expressed a willingness to develop ecotourism with the prospect of improving their various needs. The results of the empirical double hurdle model showed that the variables of education, total income, importance of the lake, level of awareness, and occupation significantly impacted the willingness to accept the offered payment. On the other hand, age, marital status, education, total income, importance of the lake, and level of awareness have a significant influence on the willingness of different stakeholders to pay the offered amount. A detailed understanding of ecotourism, consideration of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, and the development of ecotourism products and services enables various stakeholders to adjust their behaviour towards sustainability, and can contribute to an effective information and planning process which may lead to greater promotion of ecotourism.
•This study attempts to examine the multiple stakeholders' perceptions about the existing problems and benefits in ecotourism practice.•It attempts to elicit the willingness to pay for ecotourism development and for biodiversity conservation in the natural preserved area Chilika.•To elicit the stakeholder's willingness to pay, the contingent valuation method is employed and the Double Hurdle model is used to find out the determinants of willingness to pay.•There exist a lot of problems regarding tourism, environmental sustainability, and livelihood vulnerability.•Environmental awareness and education to the local community and tourists with better tourism infrastructure is necessary to conserve the biodiversity in Chilika Lake.
This study aims at explaining river ecotourism in the production of urban economic space in solving the economic problems of riverbank communities. This study uses a mixed method approach with a ...dominant qualitative, less prevalent quantitative scheme, mixed qualitative and quantitative methodology. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 17 informants and survey/census on 40 respondents who are active in river ecotourism operations. The results show the formation of river ecotourism has changed the community's economy from a weak economy to a better one. The relationship between "duration of work in ecotourism operations" (variable X) and "level of income earned" (variable Y) has a correlation coefficient of 0.505> 0.320 at a significance level of 0.001 <0.005 indicating that the relationship between the two is "moderate". The sustainability of ecotourism must be carried out and become the concern of all parties including central, regional and village governments, as well as those involved in the formation of tourism space because river ecotourism opens indirectly the way for improving the economy of riverbank communities. This research is quite unique because it can turn ecosystem problems into an advantage.
This study aims at examining the sustainability of mangrove ecotourism at Cengkrong Mangroves Ecotourism in Indonesia. A quantitative approach was adopted to capture the complexity of the phenomenon. ...The study was conducted in an area with most mangroves in Indonesia, including Cengkrong Ecotourism in Trenggalek, East Java. Sustainability is achieved when each stakeholder makes a positive contribution to others in ecology, economy, social, institutional and law enforcement, and technology. Using multi-dimensional scaling and Monte Carlo approach, the findings of this study indicate that Cengkrong mangrove ecotourism is classified as “sustainable” (76.20%). The highest dimension is ecology due to the minimum level of pollution in the area. Even Cengkrong beach mangrove is a tourist destination which is potentially polluted by the tourist; however, the area is not densely populated. Nevertheless, amongst the other indicator, social is the lowest (67.95%).
Abstract
Drawing on social exchange theory and reasoned action theory, this study aims to investigate the relationships among residents' perceptions, community participation, ecotourism development, ...and sustainable tourism development. The relationships were examined using the serial mediation model of Hayes (2013). Data were collected from the local people living in Hasan Mountain Culture and Tourism Conservation and Development Area (CTCDA) in Aksaray province of Türkiye (
N
= 568). The findings show that community participation and ecotourism development serially mediate the effects of residents' perceptions on sustainable tourism development. In the light of the findings, positive residents' perceptions establish the eligible conditions for the strong community participation. Enhanced community participation contributes to ecotourism development, and as a result, ecotourism development promotes sustainable tourism development. This study is the first study in the literature that reveals the relationships between residents' perceptions, community participation, ecotourism development, and sustainable tourism development through the serial mediation model. The current study contributes to the literature by addressing the direct and indirect effects of residents' perceptions on sustainable tourism development. We suggest planners in CTCDAs to pay attention to residents' perceptions and community participation as the weakest link during development processes.
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