Title: Determination of sustainable rural tourism development strategies based on the SWOT-QSPM matrix: a case study in Dashtak village in Iran, Fars province

Authors: Farkhondeh Rafiee

Addresses: Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Technical and Vocational University (TVU), No. 4, East Brezil St., Vanak Sq., P.O. Box 1435761137, Tehran, Iran

Abstract: The development of sustainable rural tourism is an important factor in providing income for villagers and preventing their migration to the city. Dashtak village in Marvdasht city, Fars province, is a suitable environment for sustainable rural tourism due to its attractiveness and unique environmental conditions. This descriptive-analytical study aimed at providing sustainable tourism development strategies based on strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat (SWOT) and quantitative strategic planning matrix (QSPM). The results show that Dashtak village has great potential for tourism but has been neglected due to lack of awareness among villagers, inadequate infrastructure and inefficient management. According to the internal-external matrix, overview strategies should be selected in the tourism development planning of Dashtak village, which tries to reduce the weaknesses by taking advantage of the existing opportunities. Also, according to the QSPM matrix, the strategy of using the allocated budgets to create appropriate tourism infrastructure and equipment has the highest priority.

Keywords: rural tourism; Dashtak village; sustainable rural tourism; SWOT; strength; weakness; opportunity; and threat; QSPM; quantitative strategic planning matrix.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2024.137158

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2024 Vol.14 No.2, pp.123 - 140

Received: 07 Jan 2023
Accepted: 03 May 2023
Published online: 04 Mar 2024 *

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