Key Drivers Influencing the Capacity of Rural-Urban Linkages and the Formation of Tourism Network in Tehran and Alborz Regions

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate professor, Human geography and Spatial planning, Earth Science Faculty , Shah-id Beheshti

2 Shahid Beheshti University

Abstract

Context and Purpose: Utilizing the capacity of rural-urban linkages is effective in forming a tourism network; however, the formation of a tourism network has faced numerous challenges due to ignoring the capacity of rural-urban linkages. Hence, identifying the key drivers influencing rural-urban linkages’ capacity helps reduce these challenges.
Design/methodology/approach: The current applied research was conducted from April to December 2023 with a future research approach for the Alborz and Tehran region. The collected data were analyzed through semi-structured questionnaires and interviews by 34 experts using the qualitative and Delphi techniques and Micmac software.
Findings: The findings revealed that geographical advantages and environmental capabilities, such as the rural and urban establishment in a homogeneous area, suitable climate and landscape for tourism activities, small towns within the rural centers of tourism, continuous rural-urban local knowledge flow, rural-urban socioeconomic institutions, and cooperation of the urban organization with local tourism suppliers were identified as variables influencing the size of spatial and sectoral flows.
Conclusion: The results also revealed that the key drivers affected the spatial and sectoral flows through geographical advantages and environmental capabilities. Consequently, improving the size of spatial and sectoral flows affects the capacity of rural-urban linkages in the direction of the formation of the tourism network.
Originality/value: Identifying and utilizing environmental capacities to improve the size of spatial flow and strengthen rural-urban linkages in forming a tourism network can be mentioned as the originality of the current research.  

Keywords

Main Subjects


Achrol, R. S., Reve, T., & Stern, L. W. (1983). The environment of marketing channel dyads: a framework for comparative analysis. Journal of Marketing, 47(4), 55–67.
Adams, S., & Klobodu, E. K. M. (2016). Financial development, control of corruption and income inequality. International Review of Applied Economics, 30(6), 790–808.
Asgharpour, M. J. (2017). Group decision making and game theory with an operations research perspective. Tehran University Press [In Persian].
Baffoe, G., Zhou, X., Moinuddin, M., Somanje, A. N., Kuriyama, A., Mohan, G., Saito, O., & Takeuchi, K. (2021). Urban–rural linkages: effective solutions for achieving sustainable development in Ghana from an SDG interlinkage perspective. Sustainability Science, 16(4), 1341–1362. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-021-00929-8
Baggio, R. (2008). Symptoms of complexity in a tourism system. Tourism Analysis, 13(1), 1–20.
Baggio, R., Scott, N., & Cooper, C. (2010). Network science: A review focused on tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 37(3), 802–827.
Berger, J., & Zelditch, M. (1993). Theoretical research programs: Studies in the growth of theory. Stanford University Press.
Boykova, M., Knyazeva, H., & Salazkin, M. (2023). History and Modern Landscape of Futures Studies. Foresight and STI Governance, 17(4), 80–91.
Buhalis, D. (2000). Marketing the competitive destination of the future. Tourism Management, 21(1), 97–116.
Cai, J., Leung, P., & Mak, J. (2006). Tourism,s forward and backward linkages. Journal of Travel Research, 45(1), 36–52.
Carter, M. R. (2006). World development report 2006: equity and development. JSTOR.
Castle, E. N., Wu, J., & Weber, B. A. (2011). Place orientation and rural-urban interdependence. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 33(2), 179–204.
Chen, X., & Wan, P. (2020). Social trust and corporate social responsibility: Evidence from China. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(2), 485–500.
Christaller, W. (1933). 1966. The Central Places in Southern Germany.
Christiaensen, L., & Todo, Y. (2014). Poverty reduction during the rural-urban transformation-the role of the missing middle. World Development, 63, 43–58.
Cooper, C. (2015). Managing tourism knowledge. Tourism Recreation Research, 40(1), 107–119.
Cooper, C., & Hall, C. M. (2007). Contemporary tourism. Routledge.
Douglass, M. (1998a). A regional network strategy for reciprocal rural-urban linkages: An agenda for policy research with reference to Indonesia. International Development Planning Review, 20(1), 1–33. https://doi.org/10.3828/twpr.20.1.f2827602h503k5j6
Douglass, M. (1998b). A regional network strategy for reciprocal rural-urban linkages: an agenda for policy research with reference to Indonesia. Third World Planning Review, 20(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.3828/twpr.20.1.f2827602h503k5j6
Douglass, M. (2006). Global householding in Pacific Asia. International Development Planning Review, 28(4).
Douglass, M. (2013). The Saemaul Undong: South Korea’s rural development miracle in historical perspective. Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore Singapore.
Douglass, M. (2018). A regional network strategy for reciprocal rural–urban linkages: An agenda for policy research with reference to Indonesia. In The Earthscan reader in rural-urban linkages (pp. 124–154). Routledge.
Ediani, S. Y. (2017). future studies of the world, report of the world’s innovators, Islamic Council Research Center, Office of Fundamental Governmental Studies. Islamic Council.
Emami, S. F., Astaneh, A. R. D., & ... (2021). Explain the Role of Effective Components on the Development of Community-Based Rural Tourism (Case study: villages of Guilan province). Journal of Tourism …, 10(36). http://tourismpd.journals.umz.ac.ir/mobile/article_3304_fb3fda5877202f0a9aba9017968495e6.pdf?lang=en
Esmaeili, S., Ghaderi, E., Yavari Gohar, F., & Yasouri, M. (2022). Explaining driving factors affecting the development of the hospitality and tourism entrepreneurship ecosystem (Case study: Bandar Anzali city). Journal of Tourism Planning and Development, 11(41), 7–41.
Evans, B., Elisei, P., Rosenfeld, O., Roll, G., Figueiredo, A., & Keiner, M. (2016). HABITAT III-Toward a new urban agenda. Disp-the Planning Review, 52(1), 86–91.
Farrington, J., Ramasut, T., & Walker, J. (2002). Sustainable livelihoods approaches in urban areas: general lessons, with illustrations. Overseas Development Insitute, London.
Friedmann, J. (1966). Regional development policy: a case study of Venezuela. (No Title).
Gon, M. (2017). Discussing rural-urban tourism: A review of the literature. Linking Urban and Rural Tourism: Strategies in Sustainability. Wallingford: CABI, 3–19.
Habermas, J. (2023). Toward a rational society. In Social Theory Re-Wired (pp. 285–290). Routledge.
Habitat, U. N. (2017a). Implementing the new urban agenda by strengthening urban-rural linkages. Leave No One and No Space Behind.
Habitat, U. N. (2017b). Implementing the New Urban agenda by strengthening urban–rural linkages–Leave no one and no space behind. UN-Habitat, Nirobi, KEN, 88pp.
Haggett, P. (1978). The spatial economy. American Behavioral Scientist, 22(1), 151–167.
Hong, T., Ma, T., & Huan, T.-C. T. C. (2015). Network behavior as driving forces for tourism flows. Journal of Business Research, 68(1), 146–156.
Hristov, D., Minocha, S., & Ramkissoon, H. (2018). Transformation of destination leadership networks. Tourism Management Perspectives, 28, 239–250.
Jovicic, D. Z. (2016). Key issues in the conceptualization of tourism destinations. Tourism Geographies, 18(4), 445–457. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2016.1183144
Kelliher, F., Reinl, L., Johnson, T. G., & Joppe, M. (2018). The role of trust in building rural tourism micro firm network engagement: A multi-case study. Tourism Management, 68, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2018.02.014
Khan, A., Bibi, S., Lorenzo, A., Lyu, J., & Babar, Z. U. (2020). Tourism and development in developing economies: A policy implication perspective. Sustainability, 12(4), 1618.
Kūle, L. (2014). Urban-rural interactions in Latvian changing policy and practice context. European Planning Studies, 22(4), 758–774.
Le-Klaehn, D.-T., Gerike, R., & Hall, C. M. (2014). Visitor users vs. non-users of public transport: The case of Munich, Germany. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 3(3), 152–161.
Liu, B., Huang, S. (Sam), & Fu, H. (2017). An application of network analysis on tourist attractions: The case of Xinjiang, China. Tourism Management, 58, 132 – 141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2016.10.009
Lynch, K. (2005). Rural urban interaction in the developing world: focusing on flows. Emerging Issues along Urban/Rural Interfaces: Linking Science and Society. Conference Proceedings, Hilton Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 13-16 March 2005, 22–27.
Losch, A. (1940). The spatial organization of the economy. Londres: Encyclopedia Britannica.
Marshalian, M., Chan, P., & de Valmont, M. B. (2023). Networks and rural-urban linkages for rural innovation.
Morrison, A., Lynch, P., & Johns, N. (2004). International tourism networks. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 16(3), 197 – 202. https://doi.org/10.1108/09596110410531195
Mousavi, M.N., Kahaki, F. S. (2017). Futures Study in territorial Spatial Arrangement (An Investigation of MICMAC and Senario Wizard Software),. Orumieh Univerisity.
Nadi, M. B., & Rafieian, M. (2022). Identifying the Key Drivers Affecting Tourism Development with the Foresight Approach (Case study: Golden Tourism Triangle of Isfahan, Fars, Yazd). Journal of Tourism Planning and Development, 11(43), 27–48.
Neuman, D. (2014). Qualitative research in educational communications and technology: A brief introduction to principles and procedures. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 26, 69–86.
Nguyen, T. Q. T., Young, T., Johnson, P., & Wearing, S. (2019). Conceptualising networks in sustainable tourism development. Tourism Management Perspectives, 32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2019.100575
Park, S., Xu, Y., Jiang, L., Chen, Z., & Huang, S. (2020). Spatial structures of tourism destinations: A trajectory data mining approach leveraging mobile big data. Annals of Tourism Research, 84, 102973. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2020.102973
Perroux, F. (1950). The domination effect and modern economic theory. Social Research, 188–206.
Postma, A., Cavagnaro, E., & Spruyt, E. (2017). Sustainable tourism 2040. Journal of Tourism Futures, 3(1), 13–22.
Rahimipour, B., Zaheri, M., & Karimzadeh, H. (2021). Identification and analysis of key drivers affecting the sustainable development of rural tourism with a future research approach.(Case Study: Tourism Destination Villages–Saqez county). Journal of Tourism Planning and Development, 9(35), 90–111.
Rondinelli, D. A. (1984). Land-development policy in South Korea. Geographical Review, 425–440.
Shafieisabet, N, Haratifard, S. (2019). Empowerment of Local Stakeholders for Participation in Sustainable Tourism Development with Mediating Role of Perceived Tourism Effects. Tourism Planning and Development, 8(29), 71–90.
Shafieisabet, N., Mirvahedi, N. S. (2023). The Theorical and Conceptual Evolution of Rural-Urban Linkages,. Academic jihad of Shahid Beheshti University,.
Shafieisabet, N., & Haratifard, S. (2017). Impact of Empowering local stakeholders in tourism development and sustainability of marginal rural settlements in Iran. WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, 226, 493–504.
Shafieisabet, N., & Haratifard, S. (2020). The empowerment of local tourism stakeholders and their perceived environmental effects for participation in sustainable development of tourism. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 45, 486–498.
Slocum, S. L., & Kline, C. (2017). Linking urban and rural tourism: strategies in sustainability. CABI.
Somanje, A. N., Mohan, G., Lopes, J., Mensah, A., Gordon, C., Zhou, X., Moinuddin, M., Saito, O., & Takeuchi, K. (2020). Challenges and potential solutions for sustainable urban-rural linkages in a ghanaian context. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(2), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020507
Stokowski, P. A. (1994). Leisure in society: a network structural perspective. Mansell Publishing, Cassell plc.
Tacoli, C. (1997). Rural-urban interactions: A guide to the literature. Environment and Urbanization, 10(1), 147–166. https://doi.org/10.1177/095624789801000105
Tacoli, C. (1998). Rural-urban interactions: a guide to the literature. Environment and Urbanization, 10(1), 147–166. https://doi.org/10.1177/095624789801000105
Tacoli, C. (2003). The links between urban and rural development. In Environment and urbanization (Vol. 15, Issue 1, pp. 3–12). Sage Publications Sage CA: Thousand Oaks, CA.
Tacoli, C. (2018). The Earthscan reader in rural-urban linkages. Routledge.
Taghilou, A., & Soltani, N. (2021). Villa Garden Tourism and rural garden cafes on the outskirts of Urmia From the perspective of the power relationship between the city and the village. Journal of Tourism Planning and …, 9(35). https://journals.umz.ac.ir/article_3234_3692322be91b4899337cbc2cfc162ab6.pdf
Thapa, K., Sukhwani, V., Deshkar, S., Shaw, R., & Mitra, B. K. (2020). Strengthening urban-rural resource flow through regional circular and ecological sphere (R-ces) approach in Nagpur, India. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(20), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208663
Tran, M. T. T., Jeeva, A. S., & Pourabedin, Z. (2016). Social network analysis in tourism services distribution channels. Tourism Management Perspectives, 18, 59–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2016.01.003
van Leeuwen, E. (2015). Urban-Rural Synergies: An Explorative Study at the NUTS3 Level. Applied Spatial Analysis and Policy, 8(3), 273–289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12061-015-9167-x
Wang, D., Niu, Y., & Qian, J. (2018). Evolution and optimization of China’s urban tourism spatial structure: A high speed rail perspective. Tourism Management, 64, 218–232.
Wu, S., Wang, L., & Liu, H. (2021). Study on tourism flow network patterns on may day holiday. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(2), 1 – 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020947
Zhan, L., Wang, S., Xie, S., Zhang, Q., & Qu, Y. (2023). Spatial path to achieve urban-rural integration development- analytical framework for coupling the linkage and coordination of urban-rural system functions. Habitat International, 142, 102953.
Zirulia, L. (2011). Competition between and within Tourist Destinations. In Tourism Economics: Impact Analysis (pp. 31–41). Springer.