Behnaz Aflatoonian, Ali Akbar Majdi, Hossein Mirzaei, Behnoosh Aflatoonian,
Volume 14, Issue 53 (12-2025)
Abstract
Objective: The tourism industry can enhance villages' economies and contribute to national development by increasing income and creating jobs. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the geographical position and spatial interconnectedness of villages and their tourism performance.
Methods: This qualitative study examines 27 villages across Iran. Data analysis involved simulating the selected villages using CityEngine software. Maps were prepared using OpenStreetMap and georeferenced mapping. The statistical population consisted of scholarly works in Persian and English related to rural tourism and development. The sample included nine Persian and three English articles, selected through purposive sampling. A chi-square goodness-of-fit test was used to examine frequency differences, and Somers’ d correlation test in SPSS 28 was employed to analyze the association between ordinal variables.
Results: Tourism conditions across economic, cultural, and physical dimensions were found to be unfavorable, and neglect of local issues occurred significantly more than expected. Villages with weak spatial cohesion experienced poorer tourism outcomes. Increasing spatial cohesion was associated with improvements in economic, cultural, and physical aspects of tourism. This relationship showed a strong statistical correlation.
Conclusions: The results highlight the crucial role of spatial cohesion in improving tourism conditions. Failure to consider this factor can lead to social fragmentation and social withdrawal in rural areas. Therefore, managerial planning is needed to strengthen tourism in villages with weak spatial integration. Additionally, tourism awareness efforts should target both visitors and residents; a lack of coordination between these groups can hinder tourism growth. Achieving positive economic, social, and cultural transformation in rural areas requires innovative research tailored to local conditions.
