Presenting and Prioritizing the Management Strategies of Sustainable Ecotourism Development in Vennaei Watershed using SWOT and QSPM Analytical Matrix

Ecotourism was defined as the responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education. To achieve sustainable development in the watersheds with a comprehensive management approach, it is important to identify the important key elements and parameters. The main purpose of this study is to present and prioritize the best management strategies to achieve sustainable ecotourism in the Vennaei region. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the region were identified via descriptive-analytical-developmental method. The SWOT analysis matrix was used to codify the best strategies for the region. Quantitative programming matrix were applied to arrange strategies. Therefore, first internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats) of the region have been identified and evaluated based on the field visits and expert judgments. The results of this study showed that the final score for internal factors and external factors are 2.43 and 2.51, respectively. Accordingly, the strategic position of the study area is conservative type (WO). Based on the results, four strategies were proposed for the study area including using the active and young force of the village to provide tourism services, increasing the information of the tourist attractions of the region through the cooperation and participation of local people, developing case infrastructure of ecotourism with the help of the government and the attraction of public participation, and increasing capital and income by providing accommodation centers for travelers and tourists. The results of prioritizing strategies using quantitative planning matrix revealed that the development of infrastructure required for the development of sustainable ecotourism with government assistance and attracting public participation is the top management priority for the Vennaei Basin with a final attractiveness score of 4.92.
Extended Abstract
1-Introduction
Ecotourism was defined as the responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education. To achieve sustainable development in the field of ecotourism in the watershed scale, it is important to distinguish the key elements and parameters. SWOT analytical model is used in various management fields, including the sustainable analysis of tourism activities and the identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Using this model, we can obtain the appropriate management strategy for the region. The quantitative planning matrix should be used in order to prioritize the development of sustainable tourism in each region. SWOT model was applied in the field of tourism and ecotourism, but in less studies, the region geo-tourism attractions and principles of sustainable development attention have been investigated. The distinctive feature of this study is the use of a comprehensive watershed management with a sustainable development approach in the region. The main purpose of this study is to identify the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of the region and to present the best management strategies for the sustainable development of ecotourism in the Vennaei Basin using the SWOT analytical model and quantitative planning.
2-Materials and Methods
In this study, first internal and external factors related to the development of ecotourism in the region were extracted using face-to-face meetings with the staffs and experts of the tourism department and brainstorming method. After identifying the internal and external factors, each factor takes a weight coefficient between zero (insignificant) to one (very important), as the sum of the weighted coefficients of the data is equal to one. To rank each factor, experts rate each factor between 1 and 4. Then, by calculating the weight score for each of the internal and external factors, the strategic position of the region was determined using the SWAT analytical matrix. For each strategic situation, comprehensive management strategies were developed by experts based on the analysis of the internal and external factors. Finally, using a quantitative planning matrix, the strategies developed for sustainable ecotourism were prioritized with a view to comprehensive watershed management.
3-Results and Discussion
According to the results, factors identified for strengths and weaknesses were 10 and 12 ones, respectively. Each factor was then given weight and rank. Final weight score was obtained by multiplying the weight of each factor in its rank. After evaluating external factors, 10 factors for opportunity and 10 factors for threat were extracted and evaluated. As with internal factors, each of these factors was given weight and rank. According to the results of weighting and ranking of internal factors and external factors, the total weight points for internal factors and external factors are 2.43 and 2.51, respectively. Putting these results in the matrix of internal and external factors was a conservative strategy for the region. Based on the results, 4 strategies were suggested for the region including using the active and young force of the village to provide tourism services, increasing the information of the tourist attractions of the region through the cooperation and participation of local people, developing case infrastructure of ecotourism with the help of the government and the attraction of public participation, and increasing capital and income by providing accommodation centers for travelers and tourists. Based on the results of the quantitative planning matrix, the attractiveness scores of internal factors for strategies 1, 2, 3 and 4 are 1.86, 1.69, 2.38, 2.02, respectively, and 2.02, 1.8, 2.54, and 1.78 for external factors, respectively. By combining the attractiveness of internal and external factors for strategies 1, 2, 3 and 4, the best strategy for the development of sustainable ecotourism in the Vennaei region was strategy number 3 (developing the infrastructure needed to develop sustainable ecotourism with government assistance and public participation). According to the results of the management strategy, the first priority of this research for the best strategy in the region can be assessed as the combined role of government and public participation in creating environmental infrastructure with the aim of developing sustainable ecotourism. Besides, a comprehensive management in the region is very important.
4-Conclusion
Sustainable development, as a goals of humanity in today's world, can only be achieved when it meets the needs of the present generation without eliminating the needs of future generations. Tourism is one of the most effective economic activities that has been considered by all countries in the world. Among these, ecotourism is the most compatible type of tourism, the recognition of its effects on the environment and sustainable development of the land is very important. This study aims to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and prioritize management strategies for sustainable ecotourism in the Vennaei Basin.  According to the results, the strategic position for the study area was conservative. Strategy 3 with an attractiveness score of 4.92 was the best management priority for sustainable ecotourism in the region. According to the findings of this study, not only can ecotourism attractions lead to the development of sustainable ecotourism in the region, but also attention to proper planning, improving environmental infrastructure and providing welfare, accommodation and security needs is essential.