The Evaluation of the Geo-Tourism for Urban Development: A Case study in Ajabshir City, Iran

Abstract

Tourism development based on natural and geo-tourism attractions have been among the study targets of urban regional planners during past decades. It is obvious that Feasibility studies as well as the evaluation of urban tourism potentials are being considered as first phase of tourism planning. The major objective of this study is to investigate the geo-tourism capabilities and limitations of Ajabshir city and to develop the best strategy toward improving and enhancing tourism management and development for the city in this region. For this purpose, SWOT strategy planning method was used based on identification of weaknesses and strengths points (internal factors) and opportunities and threats (external factors). Furthermore, Likert spectrum was used to rank the internal and external factors in order to come up with SO, WO, ST, WT strategies. The study suggests that the region has a high potential regarding tourist attraction. The internal factors of this study (point3.05) indicate that the strength points of the region are more than the weakness points. In addition, the matrix of the evaluation of the external factors (point2.72) shows that the opportunities of the region are more than its threats. It further argues that the macro strategies the tourism of the region and thus this city must be developed in such a way to make the best use of the local possible opportunities. This study further suggests that by taking advantage of Ajabshir's tourism potential in general and Geo tourism attractions in particular, along with adaption of an appropriate tourism strategies, the city could well utilizes these opportunities.

Full text

To cite this paper:Tavallaei S, Rashidi Ebrahim Hesari A, Fathi MH, Farzaneh M, Mousavi SCh. 2012. The evaluation of the geo-tourism for urban development: A case study in
Ajabshir city, Iran. J. Civil Eng. Urban. 2(2): 80-85.
Journal homepage: http://www.ojceu.ir/main/ 80
© 2012, Scienceline Publication
Journal of Civil Engineering and Urbanism
Volume 2, Issue 2: 80-85 (2012) (Received: November 10, 2011; Accepted: February 07, 2012; Published: March 30, 2012) ISSN-2252-0430
The Evaluation of the Geo-Tourism for Urban Development: A Case
study in Ajabshir City, Iran
Simin Tavallaei1, Asghar Rashidi Ebrahim Hesari2*, Mohammad Hosian Fathi3, Mortaza Farzaneh4, Seyed
Chamran Mousavi5
1Full Professor in Geography Kharazmi University, Iran
2Corresponding Author’s: Graduate Student in Geography and Urban Planning Kharazmi University, Iran
3M.Sc in Physical Geography, Tabriz University, Iran
4Department of Civil Engineering, Bonab Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bonab, Iran
5M.Sc in Geography and Urban Planning Esfahan University, Iran
*Corresponding author’s Email: b.asgar1361@gmail.com
ABSTRACT: Tourism development based on natural and geo-tourism attractions have been among the
study targets of urban regional planners during past decades. It is obvious that Feasibility studies as well as
the evaluation of urban tourism potentials are being considered as first phase of tourism planning. The major
objective of this study is to investigate the geo-tourism capabilities and limitations of Ajabshir city and to
develop the best strategy toward improving and enhancing tourism management and development for the
city in this region. For this purpose, SWOT strategy planning method was used based on identification of
weaknesses and strengths points (internal factors) and opportunities and threats (external factors).
Furthermore, Likert spectrum was used to rank the internal and external factors in order to come up with
SO, WO, ST, WT strategies. The study suggests that the region has a high potential regarding tourist
attraction. The internal factors of this study (point3.05) indicate that the strength points of the region are
more than the weakness points. In addition, the matrix of the evaluation of the external factors (point2.72)
shows that the opportunities of the region are more than its threats. It further argues that the macro strategies
the tourism of the region and thus this city must be developed in such a way to make the best use of the local
possible opportunities. This study further suggests that by taking advantage of Ajabshir's tourism potential
in general and Geo tourism attractions in particular, along with adaption of an appropriate tourism strategies,
the city could well utilizes these opportunities.
Keywords: Geo-tourism, urban development, Ajabshir city, SWOT
INTRODUCTION
Since the tourism industry is one of the most
successful industries in the world, it has remarkable
results and achievements, such as gaining great currency
income, developing cultural - scientific relationship,
creating employment both directly and indirectly and
showing stability and security of the country (Nohegar et
al, 2010). At present, geo-tourism is a new movement
helping travelers to increase their knowledge about natural
resources, the cultural identity of hosts and ways of
preserving them (Torabi Farsani et al.,2011) Geo-tourism,
which was introduced publicly in 2002 by the Travel
Industry Association of America and the National
Geographic Traveler Magazine, incorporates
sustainability principles. In July 2008, five US
government agencies joined the National Geographic
Society to formally adopt the principles of geo-tourism
(Moffet and Moody, 2008) Other existing charters include
Norway, Honduras, Romania, the Cook Islands,
California’s Redwood Coast, Portugal’s Douro Valley,
Montreal, Greater Yellowstone, Baja California, Sierra
Nevada and Guatemala (ClaudeJoly, 2009; Dion et al.,
2009; National Geographic, 2010; Sejvar et al., 2010).
Honduras was the first country to make geo-tourism its
national tourism strategy (National Geographic Society,
2005). The special climatic features of Iran have bestowed
each part of these state different natural scenic features,
and if it is introduced to the world in a right way, Iran can
be one of the poles in tourism especially in geo truism.
(Mahdavi et al, 2010).
Iran is being considered as one of the attractive
tourism destination. (Mahdavi et al, 2010).However; there
exist some political as well as social factors that affect the
industry. It has been argued that Iran's political instability
could be considered as one of the drawbacks.(Tavallaeiet
al.,2007) Furthermore, Reluctance with regard to tourism
investment in the country and high risk of investment
,negative impression of international tourists with respect
to Iran are being considered as other barriers of the
industry. Ajabshir city is one of the tourism attractions
because of climatic features and its variety, Height
Mountains and low plains and special topographical and

To cite this paper:Tavallaei S, Rashidi Ebrahim Hesari A, Fathi MH, Farzaneh M, Mousavi SCh. 2012. The evaluation of the geo-tourism for urban development: A case study in
Ajabshir city, Iran. J. Civil Eng. Urban. 2(2): 80-85.
Journal homepage: http://www.ojceu.ir/main/ 81
geographical conditions with rich vegetation in the form
of forests and ranching lands with various species,
abundant water resources, rich wildlife and orchard lands
along with the geo morphological factors. The studied
region has a high capacity for ecotourism because of its
location on the wet slopes of Sahand.
The goals of this study can be stated as following:
- Comprehensive evaluation of the capabilities and
feasibility of developing geo-tourism of Ajabshir to
develop this city.
- Determining the problems and barriers, goals and
tourism policy and urban development in a way that
makes the work in this field possible.
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF AJABSHIR
CITY
Ajabshir city with an area at 2647 Hectares is
located along the Gala Chai on the western part of to
sahand. This city has been categorized as the cold and
cemi-cold climatic regions and with regard to the climatic
division by Demarton and Ambrezheh, the general climate
of this city is semi-arid and is in the border of cold climate
of Mediterranean. There are not so many cases of high
temperature in this city and in comparison to most of the
other cities of East Azarbaijan it has more moderate
summer temperature and cold to extreme cold in winner.
Topographically speaking Ajabshir city is located in Gala
Chai’s valley which encompasses many parallel small
valleys as well as relatively dense drainages. Taking into
consideration the formation and sediments eastern part of
the city possesses a very dense drainage system
(Ajabshir’s comprehensive design, 2006).
Fig1. Ajabshir City Spatial Position and the Study Area
MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY
To obtain the mentioned goals, at first with regard
to the sources and documentation data available and field
study, the attractions, facilities and touristic services in
Ajabshir city along with the present limitations in the
region were studied. To determine the tourism demand
index of the region, 150 questionnaires were filled out by
visitors of the region during the peak visiting time
(beginning of the spring to the end of summer). In the next
stage, SWOT analytical method was used to analyze the
data and propose a strategy to develop the tourism in the
region. Later, to develop an analytical model, a list of
strength, weakness, opportunities and threat points were
identified by the performed studies on the internal and
external environment in the region. Then by getting the
opinion of people, tourists and exports, weight and value
was given to each of the factors. At the end, by
considering the internal and external strategies factors
which are the bases in developing a strategy, the suitable
strategy was proposed. Also Likert spectrum was used in
this study to rank and prioritize the internal and external
environmental factors. At the end by combining these
factors we came up with the following strategies:
1-combination of strengths and opportunities (SO)
2- Combination of strength and threats (ST)
3- Combination of weaknesses and threats (WT)
4- Combination of weaknesses and opportunities (WO)
These strategies are to take advantage of strength and
opportunities to eradicate weakness and threats in order to
develop the region. Developing the macro- strategies has
been done in three stages, entering, comparison and
decision making.
RESULTS
The first stage which is entering stage, the opinion
of the tourism experts about the weakness, strength and
threats and tourism opportunities of Ajabshir city, the
coefficient (the degree of the importance of these factors
in tourism industry) and the rank(the degree of the
importance of these factors in tourism industry) were
gathered by Delphi method after the conducted studies
and calculations and finally the evaluation matrix of
internal factors (table 1) and that of external factors

To cite this paper:Tavallaei S, Rashidi Ebrahim Hesari A, Fathi MH, Farzaneh M, Mousavi SCh. 2012. The evaluation of the geo-tourism for urban development: A case study in
Ajabshir city, Iran. J. Civil Eng. Urban. 2(2): 80-85.
Journal homepage: http://www.ojceu.ir/main/ 82
(table1) were extracted. The final result from the
evaluation of the internal factors (the total final point
3.05) shows that the strength points of the tourism in
Ajabshir city is more than the weakness points and the
macro – strategies must be developed in a way that these
strength points can be used to remove the weaknesses.
Table1. The evaluation matrix of internal and external factors dominating the tourism in Ajabshir city
External
Ratio
Rank
Final score
External
Ratio
Rank
Final score
S1 : Giving attention to tourism Indus
fry by learned people
0.12
3.5
0.42
O1 : In induction of cultural and
tourism productions of the region
0.08
3.5
0.28
S2 : Belonging of the lands to the
government
0.11
4
0.44
O2 : Improvement of the per famous of
tourism development
0.1
3
0.3
S3 : The lowness of the service and
tourism facilities cost in the region
0.08
4
0.32
O3 : The existence of the potential
musters in tourism field
0.03
2
0.06
S4:The variety , numerous natural and
cultural tourism attraction which have
the capacity for development
0.11
3
0.33
O4 : Developing employment
0.13
3.5
0.455
S5 : Proper avail belies
0.06
3
0.18
O5: Cultural exchanges
0.06
3
0.18
S6: The participation of the local
people and their resistance against the
entering of the tourists.
0.07
3
0.21
O6 : Foreign exchange revenue for the
country by attracting the foreign
tourists
0.05
1.5
0.075
W1: The low familiarity of the region
people with the tourism culture.
0.07
2
0.14
O7 : Taking advantage of tourism
training centers of the nearby cities
0.06
2
0.12
W2: Lack of Specialized man force in
tourism section.
0.08
3
0.24
O8 : The participation of people in
preserving the environment
0.06
2
0.12
W3 : The shortage of service and
accommodation units
0.05
3
0.15
O9 : The development of relation
between the towns of villages of the
region
0.06
2.5
0.15
W4 : Not protecting the tourism
attraction and destroying them
0.08
2
0.16
T1 : The fewer active competitors in
tourism field
0.04
2
0.08
W5 : Climatic limitations of the
region
0.08
2
0.16
T2 : The weakness of the authority of
the local officials
0.1
3
0.3
W6 : Lack of advertisement
0.05
3
0.15
T3: The unstable political condition of
Iran in international level.
0.05
2
0.1
W7: Lack of familiarity of the people
with electronic sciences
0.05
3
0.15
T4 : Negative mental image of foreign
tourist toward
0.04
2
0.08
Total
1
3.05
T5: The vagueness and ambiguity in
strategies to develop tourism.
0.03
2
0.06
T6 : Not allocating the budget to
develop tourism
0.12
3
0.36
Total
1
2.72
The final conclusion from the evaluation matrix of
external factors (total final point 2.72) is that the
opportunities before the tourism industry of the region is
more than the threats and as a results the macro –
strategies for the tourism of the region must be devised in
a way that cam take the best advantages from the available
opportunities .
Finally, there will be a SWOT matrix for the region
under study in the form of table 3.
This is followed by the comparison stage regarding
different strategies
Table3. SWOT matrix
Internal and external factors
Strengths (S)
Weaknesses (W )
Opportunities (O)
Aggressive strategies(SO)
Conservative strategies (WO)
Threats (T)
Competitive strategies ( ST )
Defending strategies (WT)
(Qhadami et al, 2011)

To cite this paper:Tavallaei S, Rashidi Ebrahim Hesari A, Fathi MH, Farzaneh M, Mousavi SCh. 2012. The evaluation of the geo-tourism for urban development: A case study in
Ajabshir city, Iran. J. Civil Eng. Urban. 2(2): 80-85.
Journal homepage: http://www.ojceu.ir/main/ 83
Table 4. Strengths weaknesses, opportunities, and threats Matrix
Internal factors
Strength points
Weakness points
External factors
S1: The attention of learned to tourism
S2: Belonging of the lands to the government
S3: The lowness of the cost of tourism
services and facilities in the region.
S4: The variety in developable tourism
cultural and natural attractions.
S5: proper access.
S6: The participation of local people and their
interest in entering of tourists.
W1: Low familiarity of local people with the
tourism culture.
W2: Lack of specialist man force in tourism
sector.
W3: Shortage in service and accommodation
units.
W4: Lack of protection from the tourism
attractions and destroying them.
W5: The climate limitations of the region.
W6: lack of advertisement.
W7: Not being familiar with electronic
sciences by local people.
Opportunities
Strategies SO
Strategy WO
O1: The introduction of cultural
tourism products of the region.
O2: The improvement of the
performance of tourism
development.
O3: The existence of potential
investors in the region.
O4: developing employment.
O5: cultural exchanges.
O6: The foreign currency revenue
for the country by attracting foreign
tourists.
O7 : Taking advantages of the
educational and training centers of
the nearly cites
O8: The participation of the people
in preserving the environment.
O9: The development of relation
among the towns and villages of the
region.
1. Taking the advantage of the attention of the
learned people to tourism industry
2. The development of tourism cultural and
natural sources and attractions , introduction
of cultural products and developing
employment by us tug the various attractions
of the region and their low expenses ( s3 s4 o2
o5 )
3. Using the farces and learned people to
develop props of people to preserve the
environment and as a result developing more
relationship between city and villages of the
region and at last increasing their cultural
exchanges with the tourists (s1 o5 o8)
4. Using the participation of the local people
and their interest in entering of the tourists to
develop employment and inducing to cultural
product of the region. (s6 o1 o4 o8)
5. The existence of the proper access makes
the development of better and more
relationship between the town and villages of
the region. (s5 o9).
1.The enforcement of specialist man force in
this field by taking advantage of tourism
training centers of the nearby cities to improve
the development performance ( w2 o2 o7)
2.Building and improving the condition of
service and accommodation units through
potential investors ( w4 o3 )
3.The protection of attractions by the help of
the people and officials ( w4 o8 )
4.Providing extensive advertisement to help
people ( w6 o8 )
5.Familiarizing the local people with tourism
culture by the training and educational centers
of the nearby cities and town at expense at the
investors ( w1 o7 )
6. The introduction of the cultural products of
the local people to encourage them to
participate ( o1 w1)
Threats
Strategist ST
Strategy WT
T1: The fan number of the active
competitors in tourism field.
T2: The weakness in the authority of
the local official.
T3 : Unstable political Iran in
international level
T4 : Negative mental image of the
foreign tourists toward Iran
T5: Mack of transparency and
ambiguity in tourism development
approaches.
1. The emphasis of the Islamic countries on
the foreign tourism market (s3 s4 t5 t4 )
2. The development of different kinds of
tourism attractions in the region to clarify the
tourism development approach.
3. More emphasis on internal tourism market
( s3 s4 t3 t4 )
4. Encouraging the learned people to invest
in tourism ( s1 t1 )
1. with regard to all the internal
limitations of the region and the external
foreign threats, till the removal of these factors
and exe cut day the proper plans by sufficient
bud get, and encouragement of the investors to
invest in mountainous area with a desirable
climate, the foreign countries must be omitted
from the market and the focus must be on the
maternal tourism to reduce it to shorter than
one day. ( w4 w1 t2 t3 )
The major objective of next phase is the
determination of strategy with implication capability. This
in turn indicates the application of external and internal
factor matrix. Taking into account the corresponding
figures regarding the evaluation internal factors (3.05) and
external factors (2.72) for tourism activity in the study
area Ajabshir would accommodate in cell 6. That is the
most appropriate strategy in which would correspond with
those strategies which aim to maintain the current and
prevailed conditions and status.
The chosen strategies in internal and external
matrix are the same so strategies or the competitive –
aggressive strategies which are developed in the matrix of
threats, opportunities, and strength and weakness points
SWOT. So the output developed strategies for the tourism
of Ajabshir city are:
1. Using man force and learned people to from groups
of people to preserve the environment and as a result the
development of more relationship between the cities of the
villages with the tourists. (S1 O5 O8)
2. Using the participation of local people and their
interest to entering of tourist to develop employment and
in trod using the cultural produces of the region (S6 O1 O4
O8)
3. Taking advantage of the attention of the learned
people to tourism development performance. (S1 O2)
4. The existence of way and road and the proper
access make the better and ,more development of
relationship among towns and villages of the region
possible (S5 O9)
5. Developing of tourism natural and cultural
attractions and sources and their low costs. (S3 S4 O2 O5)

To cite this paper:Tavallaei S, Rashidi Ebrahim Hesari A, Fathi MH, Farzaneh M, Mousavi SCh. 2012. The evaluation of the geo-tourism for urban development: A case study in
Ajabshir city, Iran. J. Civil Eng. Urban. 2(2): 80-85.
Journal homepage: http://www.ojceu.ir/main/ 84
Fig2. The diagram of internal and external matrix of the tourism of Ajabshir city
CONCLUTION
Development of the tourism industry can provide
cities, regions with the opportunity for city development.
Planning and development are important concepts in the
tourism (and geo-tourism) industry and one that has
several sides. The Evaluation of the geo-tourism and
striking a balance between the requirements of these and
viable urban development planning for local tourism and
geo-tourism is an important task. A regional vision for
tourism and geo-tourism development planning must
identify, encourage and promote a range of unique tourist
and recreational experiences which can be sustained
environmentally, socially and economically while meeting
the needs of both visitors and the local community. This
paper aims to investigate geo tourism potentials and its
impact upon the city's development through utilization of
both internal and external factors influential on Ajabshir's
tourism potentials .This study relies on the experts'
viewpoints .It is based on field technique as well as
SWOT method. This paper suggests that the predominant
strategy regarding geo tourism potential of the region
possesses invading nature (SO). Since, total scores with
respect to internal factors is 3.05 as opposed to 2.72 which
corresponds with external factors. Moreover, Strengths
override the weaknesses similarly, opportunities surpass
the threats .Thus, we could propose tourism strategy
regarding Ajabshir's tourism potentials based on SWOT as
follows:
In its case study this paper considers the strengths
and weaknesses of Ajabshir tourism planning and in less
extended geo-tourism and makes recommendations as to
the best way to develop Ajabshir’s potential in the field of
tourism and geo-tourism The obtained results from the
effective internal and external factors on Ajabshir tourism
by SWOT techniques are shown:
 The officials in charge can help to the development
of tourism industry in the region by thinking, planning and
allocating the required budget.
 The obtain weight point average was 2.72 which
shows the opportunities before the tourism in the region
are more than the threats and macro-strategies must be
devised in a way that make it possible to use the available
opportunities in the best way.
In the strategic factor analysis summary table, the most
important factors in attracting tourists are as following:
 the best available opportunities are the introduction
tourism and cultural products of the region, the
improvement of tourism development performance, the
existence of the potential investors in tourism field,
developing employment, cultural exchanges , foreign
currency revenue for the country by attracting foreign
tourists , taking advantage of the tourism training centers
of the nearby cities, the participation of the local people to
preserve the environment and the development of
relationship between the towns and the villages of the
region.
 the most important straight points in the region are
the attention of learned people to tourism, belonging of
the lands to the government, the lowness of tourism
services and facilities in the region, the variety in the
developable natural and cultural tourism attraction, easy
access to region, the participation of the local people and
their interest in entering of tourists to the region.
At the end it can be stated that in case of proper
management, Ajabshir city can be introduced as one of the
remarkable poles of tourism to the world and at the same
abundant benefits can be directed in Iran and word the
country both from industrial and tourism point of view.
Such an approach will ultimately lead to urban
development in Ajabshiri city.
REFERENCES
1. Ajabshir's comprehensive plan (2006). the consular
engineers regarding the role of the environment
2. Algieri B (2005). International tourism Specialization
of Small Countries. International Journal of Tourism
Research, 8:1-12.

To cite this paper:Tavallaei S, Rashidi Ebrahim Hesari A, Fathi MH, Farzaneh M, Mousavi SCh. 2012. The evaluation of the geo-tourism for urban development: A case study in
Ajabshir city, Iran. J. Civil Eng. Urban. 2(2): 80-85.
Journal homepage: http://www.ojceu.ir/main/ 85
3. Bushell R and Eagles P (2007).Tourism and Protected
Areas,Benefits Beyond Boundaries. Fondon CAB
International, UK.
4. Chernela J (2011).Barriers Natural and Unnatural:
Islamiento as a Central Metaphor in Kuna
Ecotourism. Bulletin of Latin American Research,
30:35–49
5. Claud Joly M )2009(. The National Geographic
Society invites Montrealers to share their local
favourites. National Geographic. Available at:
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainabl
e/pdf/montreal-english.pdf
6. Dion J, Loya R, DeJonghe N and Kingman B (2009(.
New National Geographic Map Guide to Highlight
Sierra Nevada Region, web site to highlight authentic
places in vast scenic area. National Geographic.
Available at:
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainabl
e/pdf/sierramapguide-release.pdf
7. Golkar K (2005).Making the analytic technique of
SWOT appropriate for urban designing. Sofeh
autumn and winter,15:44-65
8. Herrison J and Karoan J (2007).Strategic
management. Translated by Ghasemi.B,Heyat
publication . Tehran, second edition.
9. Honey M (1999). Ecotourism and Sustainable
Development: Who Owns Paradise? Island Press:
Washington, DC.
10. Houben C,Lenie K and Vanhoof K(1999). A
Knowledge Based SWOT Analysis System as an
instrument for Strategic Planning in Small and
Medium sized Enterprises. Decision support
systems,26:164-172
11. Lawton L and David W (2000).Nature- based tourism
and Ecotourism, in: Faulkner, Bill et al.(EDS)
Tourism in the 21 st Century, London
12. Mahdavi M, Ghadiri M and Ghahraman N (2010).
The effects of tourism on rural development with
getting opinion from the villagers of Kan valley and
Solghan. Village “Development quarterly2:39-60
13. Moffet B, Moody J (2008). 5 U.S. Agencies sign
agreement to embrace geo tourism and expanding
conservation efforts. Available at
http://www.doi.gov/bia/docs/press/Agreement%20to
%20Embrace%20Geotourism%20 Expanding%20
Con servation%20Efforts.pdf
14. Moradivarz M (2008). Strategic planning and its
application in city development of Iran. Pardazesh
company and urban planning, second edition, Tehran
15. National Geographic (2010(. Center for sustainable
destinations, programs for places. Available at
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainabl
e/programs_for places.html
16. National Geographic Society (2005). The geo tourism
approached. Available at
http://www.innovasjonnorge.no/Reiseliv_fs/PDF/For
edrag%20Tourtellot-2.pdf
17. Nilsson M (2004).Research and advice on Strategic
Environmental Assessment. Stokholm Environment
institute Publications.
18. Nohehgar A and Hossinzadeh MM (2010).Evaluation
of the capacities of touring the nature of Gheshm
Island by using SWOT model. Development and
geography magazine autumn issue 15:151-172
19. Notar B (2007).Displacing Desire: Travel and
Popular Culture in China. University of Hawaii Press:
Honolulu.
20. Nouri J,Majidi A and Maghsoadi B(2006).The
environmental evaluations of Iran industrial
development strategic policy by using SWOT model.
sciences and technology of environment,8: 25-38
21. Opperman, M (1996).Rural Tourism in Southern
Germany. Annals of Tourism Research, 13
22. Pearz John A, Rechard B and Robinson J
(2004).Strategic management: planning, performance
and control. Samt publication,Tehran
23. Qhadami M,Tavallaei S,Fatemi S M (2011).Strategic
assessment of tourism development capabilities (a
case study on Fereidoon' Kenar city). Journal of
Geographical sciences winter, 16:111-128.
24. Sejvar M, Strom R and Fallon B )2010). National
Geographic and North Coast Tourism Council Geo
tourism Map Guide and Web site on California’s
Redwood Coast. National Geographic. Available at
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainabl
e/pdf/northern-californiageotourism-project.pdf
25. Swain, M (1989).Gender Roles in Indigenous
Tourism. In V. Smith (ed) Hosts and Guests: The
Anthropology of Tourism. University of
Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia, 83–104.
26. Tavallaei S(2007).Globalization As a means for
Tourism development in Iran(Kerman
City).geographical research , 685:2-19
27. The Bureau of statistics and information, department
of East Azarbaijan province (2006). Ajabshir census
of people and houses.