Evaluation of Attitudes of Ecolodge’s Owners and Local Managers toward Ecolodge Business Ecosystem in Ramsar Tourism Destination

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 MA Graduated, Geography and Tourism Planning, Human Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Geography and Rural Planning, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

3 Professor, Geography and Rural Planning, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Context and Purpose: One important topic in the field of Ecolodge is the study of the business ecosystem of these accommodations. These ecosystems express the structure of the business system, influencing factors, relationships between actors, and the power and position of each factor in the business ecosystem of Ecolodge. The current research aims to evaluate the atmosphere governing the ecotourism business ecosystem based on the views of the owners and local-regional Ecolodge managers.
Design/methodology/approach: The current research is descriptive as it examines and evaluates the business environment of Ecolodge in Ramsar city. From the audience’s point of view, it is practical because it leads to awareness of the business environment of Eco-lodges in Ramsar for the owners, local managers, future investors, and researchers in this field. This study is also cross-sectional as the information needed for the research was collected "at" a point in time (Spring 1402). The data collection method was quantitative, and a questionnaire was used to collect the data. The statistical population included Eco-lodge’s "owners" and "local managers" related to the research subject in Ramsar city.
Findings: The findings show that from the point of view of the owners of Ecolodge, the status of Ecolodge business ecosystem components in Ramsar city based on the average value in order from first to last includes infrastructure, market, socio-cultural, business, human capital support, education, innovation, and finance. Also, the ranking of the status of business ecosystem components of Ecolodge in Ramsar city is based on the average value from the point of view of local and regional Ecolodge managers, including business, market, infrastructure, socio-cultural, support, capital human, financial, and educational innovation.
Conclusion: The business ecosystem of Ecolodge in Ramsar city, from the owners’ and local-regional managers’ point of view, is "so-so". The components of "finance" and "education and innovation" were evaluated as the weakest components, and the component of "infrastructure" was the most acceptable component of the ecosystem.
Originality/value: The framework of the business ecosystem model of Ecolodge should be different from the general framework, and the components related to sustainable development should play a central role in it. This research, using a field study, has tried to investigate the business ecosystem of Ecolodge, using the perspective of stakeholders (owners of Ecolodge and local-regional managers) who influence the transformation and development of this business in Ramsar city.

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Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Tourism Planning and Development
Volume 13, Issue 49
June 2024
Pages 193-227

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