Journal of Arid Regions Geographic Studies

Journal of Arid Regions Geographic Studies

Pathology of tourism destination management in desert areas(Case Study: Baft)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Tourism Management Department, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
Abstract
Aim: This research was conducted to identify the challenges and problems of tourism management in the desert destination of Baft city.
Material & Method: The research is developmental in terms of purpose and survey in terms of nature. The research's statistical population includes the Baft city council and municipality members. The number of statistical samples was calculated to be 30 people. Data was collected through interviews, and data classification and analysis were done through interpretive analysis and Maxqda software in open coding.
Finding:  From a total of 30 interview texts, 437 codes have been collected, divided into eight main categories under the title of identifying the challenges and problems of the Baft Desert tourism destination. In this way, "the lack of access to water resources" in desert areas is the highest, with 120 codes. Also, the findings indicate that tourism opportunities in desert areas should be organized based on desert geography and existing crises, marketing and development goals, local education, and human resource development. In this way, possible damages to the destination can be identified and corrected to develop as much as possible.
Conclusion: It has been observed that the management of tourism in this particular destination is facing certain challenges. Therefore, the basic resources of the destination, characteristics, and competitive skills should be determined so that aligning the business goals with the long-term sustainable development goals causes the fragile destination to become an environmentally friendly, sustainable, and tourist-friendly destination.
Innovation: This research is the only research that has been done on tourism management in Baft city, and its results are effective in the sustainable and long-term development of tourism in this destination.
Keywords

Abdoli, N., Niazi, M., & Sadeqi Arani, Z. (2022). Structural-interpretive model sustainable tourism of adventure in Maranjab desert. Journal of Tourism and Development11(3), 83-103.‏ doi: 10.22034/jtd.2021.300615.2425. [in persian]
Afsharinia, Mahdieh and Wali, Abbas Ali. (2021). Investigating the effectiveness of desert management plans on desert ecosystem residents (case study: Kashan). Water and soil management and modeling, 1(1), 41-52. https://mmws.uma.ac.ir/article_1180.html?lang=en [in persian]
Ali Akbari, Ismail, Ismaili, Banafsheh. (2017). The development of local tourism and the sustainability of the settlement system on the edge of the desert. Tourism Management Studies, 11(36), 1-30.  https://doi.org/10.22054/tms.2017.7252 [in persian]
Alipour, Abbas, Hashemi, Seyed Mostafi, Khalifa, Ibrahim, and Moradi, Abolfazl. (2016). The role of tourism in the social sustainable development of the studied desert and desert areas: Kerman province. Regional Planning, 7(28), 39-50. https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.22516735.1396.7.28.4.3[in persian]
Ami, Fatemeh, Vakil al-Raaya, Yunus. (2019). Analysis of the effective indicators on the development of desert tourism with an emphasis on health tourism (case study: Maranjab desert). Regional Planning,10(39), 140-125. https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.22516735.1399.10.39.9.1[in persian]
Asociacion Espa´ nola de Expertos Científicos en Turismo. (2020). ˜ El turismo despu´es de la pandemia global. Analisis, perspectivas y vías de recuperaci´ on [Tourism after the global ´ pandemic. Analysis, perspectives and recuperation paths]. Retrieved 23.12.2021 from https://aecit.org/uploads/public/DOCUMENTO.covid19%20y%20turismo.pdf.
Azizi, Parvaneh, Hamidi, Elaha. (2014). The development of ecotourism and its role in the tourism of desert and desert regions of Iran, the first national conference on tourism and green tourism, Hamadan. https://civilica.com/doc/284917/ [in persian]
Baggio, R., Micera, R., & Del Chiappa, G. (2020). Smart tourism destinations: A critical reflection. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 11(3), 559–574. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-01-2019-0011
Bastidas-Manzano, A. B., Sanchez-Fer´ nandez, J., & Casado-Aranda, L. A. (2020). The´  past, present, and future of smart tourism destinations: A bibliometric analysis. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348020967062
Beltramo, R., Peira, G., & Bonadonna, A. (2021). Creating a tourism destination through local heritage: The Stakeholders’ priorities in the Canavese Area (Northwest Italy). Land10(3), 260. ‏ https://doi.org/10.3390/land10030260
Coban, G., & Yildiz, O. S. (2019). Developing a destination management model: Case of Cappadocia. Tourism Management Perspectives, 30, 117-128.
Dorostkar, Ehsan, Habib, Fahah, Majedi, Hamid. (2017), Feasibility Study of Formation Creative Region According to Tourism Industry (Case study: Yazd City), Geography and Development, 14(45), 19-40. 10.22111/gdij.2016.2919. [in persian]
Faraji Darabkhani, Mohammad, Moradi, Hoshang. (2022). Identifying the challenges and obstacles of religious tourism in the sustainable development of Mehran based on the grounded theory model. Territory. 19(75), 1-20. 10.30495/sarzamin.2023.71181.2079 [in persian]
Ghoshal, A., & Petrick, D. (2016). Desert Tourism–Mirage or Sustainability Challenge. ‏
Gustafson, P. (2012). Managing business travel: Developments and dilemmas in corporate travel management. Tourism Management, 33(2), 276–284.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2011. 03.006
Hamedi, Leila and Ameri Shahrabi, Mohsen and Ghayoumi, Abbas Ali. (2017). Presenting the paradigm model of tourism culture using the foundation data method. Intercultural Studies, 14(38), 115-89. https://icsq.journals.iau.ir/article_668636.html [in persian]
Hashemi, Sayed Mustafa, Karimi Pashaki, Sajjad, Khalifa, Ibrahim. (2019). Prioritizing the potential of tourism development in desert and desert areas, a case study: Kerman province. Journal  of Urban Tourism, 6(2), 79-98. 10.22059/jut.2019.234974.334 [in persian]
Heydari, Hasan and Razaghi, Somaye. (2018). A survey on development barriers in West Azerbaijan province based on private and public sector executive’s viewpoint: Grounded theory approach. Economic & Developmental Sociology, 8(2), 135-165. 20.1001.1.23224371.1398.8.2.6.4 [in persian]
Jahani, A., & Saffariha, M. (2021). Human activities impact prediction in vegetation diversity of Lar National Park in Iran using artificial neural network model. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management17(1), 42-52.‏ https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.4349. [in persian]
Jalali, Mahbubeh, Khadim al-Hosseini, Ahmed. (2015). Stratification of sample tourism areas in Kerman province, Regional Planning, 5(No. 17), 151-162. https://jzpm.marvdasht.iau.ir/article_726.html [in persian]
Karimpour Reyhan, Majid, Sharif Jahid, Shahrazad. (2016). Strategic Management and Planning of Sustainable Tourism Development of Kerman Province with Emphasis on Tourism of Desert Shahdad, Geography&Regional Planning, 7(4), 7-18. 20.1001.1.22286462.1396.7.4.1.7 [in persian]
Khadimat Al-Rasoul, Zahra, Qadawi, Reza, Mousavi, Seyyed Hojat. (2015). Feasibility of sustainable development of desert ecotourism in Shiraz desert. Pasture and Desert Research of Iran, 23(1), 79-70. https://dx.doi.org/10.22092/ijrdr.2016.106473[in persian]
Kebete, Y., & Wondirad, A. (2019). Visitor management and sustainable destination management nexus in Zegie Peninsula, Northern Ethiopia. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 13, 83-98.
Maleki, Saeed, Sajjadian, Mahyar. (2018). Pathology of competitive quality of desert tourism destination management case study: Shahdad desert of Kerman. Geography and Development Quarterly, 16(51), 81-98. https://doi.org/10.22111/gdij.2018.3855[in persian]
Morgan, M. O., Okon, E. E., Emu, W. H., Olubomi, O. I. E., & Edodi, H. U. (2021). TOURISM MANAGEMENT: A PANACEA FOR SUSTAINABILITY OF HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. Geo Journal of Tourism and Geosites37(3), 783-791.‏ http://dx.doi.org/10.30892/gtg.37307-709
Moayedfar, Saeede, Dehghan Khavari, Saeed, Akbari Tafti, Mehdi, Fatemi, Mehran. (2021). Economic valuation of Yazd desert ecotourism with sustainable development approach. Geographical Research on Desert Areas, 9(1), 149-172. https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.2345332.1400.9.1.8.0[in persian]
Ngdir, N.G.D.o.I., 2006. The comparison of income shares of geo-tourism and mine in China and Tunis and study of desert tourism potential in Iran.
OECD. (2020). OECD tourism trends and policies 2020. ‏ https://doi.org/10.1787/6b47b985-en
Perles Ribes, J. F., & Ivars-Baidal, J. (2018). Smart sustainability: A new perspective in the sustainable tourism debate. Investigaciones Regionales – Journal of Regional Research, 42, 151–170, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10017/37189
Ranjbar, Hadi, Haq Dost, Ali Akbar, Salsali, Mahosh, Khushdel, Alireza, Soleimani, Mohammad Ali, and Bahrami, Nasim. (2011). Sampling in qualitative research: a guide to getting started. Journal of the University of Medical Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran (annals of military and health sciences research), 10(3 (series 39)), 238-250. https://www.sid.ir/paper/96654/fa [in persian]
Rezvani, Mohammad Reza, Moradi, Mehrnoush. (2013). Feasibility Studies Regarding Tourism Development Using Systematic Approach in Margin of Rural Areas of Mighan Desert of Arak. Space Economy and Rural Development, 1(2), 15-40. http://serd.khu.ac.ir/article-1-1567-fa.html [in persian]
Romagosa, F. (2020). The COVID-19 crisis: Opportunities for sustainable and proximity tourism. Tourism Geographies, 22(3), 690–694. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2020.1763447
Roxas, F. M. Y., Rivera, J. P. R., & Gutierrez, E. L. M. (2020). Framework for creating sustainable tourism using systems thinking. Current Issues in Tourism, 23(3), 280–296. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2018.1534805
Sainaghi, R. (2006). From contents to processes: Versus a dynamic destination management model (DDMM). Tourism Management, 27(5), 1053-1063. ‏
Segittur, & TechFriendly. (2020). Guía para la reactivacion ´ de los destinos turísticos inteligentes tras el COVID-19 [Guide for the reigniting of tourism destinations after COVID-19].
Sheibani, Mohammad. (2021). My city is woven. Context: Modern Age. [in persian]
Tan, D., & Tsui, K. (2017). Investigating causality in international air freight and business travel: The case of Australia. Urban Studies, 54(5), 1178–1193. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098015620520
Tarshkar, Ehsan, Habib, Farah, and Majdi, Hamid. (2015). Feasibility of forming a creative region with the theory of industrial tourism, case study: Yazd city. Geography and Development, 14(45), 19-39. [in persian]
Thetsane, R. M. (2019). Local community participation in tourism development: The case of Katse Villages in Lesotho. Athens Journal of Tourism6(2), 123-140.‏ https://doi.org/10.30958/ajt.6-2-4
Tussyadiah, I. (2020). A review of research into automation in tourism: Launching the Annals of Tourism Research Curated Collection on artificial intelligence and robotics in tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 81, 102883. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2020.102883
UNWTO. (2011). Tourism towards 2030: Global overview. Madrid: UNWTO. https://doi.org/10.18111/9789284414024
Vali Shariat Panah, Majid, Ranjbar, Mohsen, Astelaghi, Alireza. (2009). Potential Tourism in Desert and Semi Desert Area. Territory, 5(18), 112-99. https://sarzamin.srbiau.ac.ir/article_5360.html?lang=fa [in persian]
WTTC. (2018, March). World Travel & Tourism Council: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2018. https://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic-impact-research/regions-2018/world2018. pdf
Zargham Borojni, Hamid, Tohid Lu, Masoumeh. (2011). Effective tourism management model, case study: religious destination of Mashhad. Tourism Management Studies, 6(16), 52-24. https://doi.org/10.22054/tms.2012.5090 [in persian]
Volume 14, Issue 52
Summer 2023
Pages 96-67

  • Receive Date 24 December 2022
  • Revise Date 06 May 2023
  • Accept Date 22 May 2023
  • Publish Date 23 August 2023