Document Type : Original Article

• Tourism

Extended Abstract

1. Introduction

Ecotourism, as a form of nature-based sustainable tourism, focuses on environmental conservation and local livelihood enhancement, attracting attention from policymakers and researchers. It provides a platform for intercultural exchanges, income diversification, and community participation. Numerous studies emphasize the importance of intersecting components such as natural, financial, and human capital in community-based ecotourism success. Empirical research across countries demonstrates that integrating ecotourism with biodiversity conservation diversifies income sources, reduces reliance on unsustainable activities, and builds long-term economic resilience. In rural areas, ecotourism boosts employment opportunities, income, and infrastructure, thereby strengthening household livelihood sustainability. Community-based projects in protected areas aim to increase income, social welfare, and infrastructure, though deeper understanding of cross-border impacts and indigenous voices is needed. Economically, studies using contingent valuation and logit models confirm tourists' willingness to pay for natural resource conservation, highlighting ecotourism's potential for local livelihoods. Combining conservation efforts with community tourism simultaneously preserves biodiversity and improves livelihoods. Based on the sustainable livelihoods framework, relationships between vulnerability contexts, livelihood assets, strategies, and outcomes are crucial for community analysis. In border regions facing complex social, economic, ecological, and governance challenges, ecotourism plays a key role in enhancing economic resilience and natural resource oversight. While various studies examine ecotourism dimensions at local, national, and international levels, comprehensive knowledge of key components affecting sustainable livelihoods in Iran's border areas—considering indigenous conditions, border dynamics, and hybrid economic-environmental features—remains lacking. Most prior research focuses on non-border areas or single dimensions (e.g., purely economic or environmental). Border regions face unique challenges like geopolitical insecurities, weak infrastructure, and social marginalization, necessitating a comprehensive, context-oriented ecotourism model. Ardabil Province, a border region with semi-arid climate and valuable natural resources, serves as an ideal case for studying ecotourism-livelihood interactions. This study, using a mixed-method approach (qualitative-quantitative), identifies and explains key ecotourism components enhancing sustainable livelihoods in Ardabil's border areas, offering an analytical framework for policymakers, planners, and local institutions toward sustainable development.

2. Materials and Methods

This research employed a mixed-method (qualitative-quantitative) exploratory-explanatory approach. In the qualitative phase, thematic analysis was used to identify patterns and meaningful components from textual data. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 19 experts in tourism and regional development planning in Ardabil Province, selected based on criteria including at least 3 years of practical/research experience, relevant academic qualifications (minimum master's or PhD student), and diversity in gender and institutions. Sampling was purposive until theoretical saturation. Analysis followed Braun and Clarke (2006) using ATLAS.ti version 24: initial codes extracted, then organized into final codes/sub-themes and main themes. A conceptual map depicted relationships. Validity and reliability were ensured through data triangulation, member checking with 4 interviewees, independent reviewer assessment, and traceable coding. The interview protocol was designed based on DFID's (1999) sustainable livelihoods framework and Dangi and Jamal's (2016) community-based ecotourism model. In the quantitative phase, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) tested the conceptual structure. A researcher-designed questionnaire with Likert-scale items reflecting qualitative components was used, validated for face/content validity by experts, and reliable (Cronbach's alpha = 0.837). Sample size was calculated via G*Power (minimum 171 for F-test, effect size 0.15, α=0.05, power=0.90); 177 complete questionnaires from local residents and students were analyzed. Analysis used SPSS version 26 with eigenvalue >1 criterion.

3. Results and Discussion

Qualitative findings identified 4 main themes from 341 initial codes, consolidated into 15 sub-themes: indigenous capacities and advantages (ecological attractions, cultural heritage, local marketing), social-environmental prerequisites (community empowerment, participation, hosting culture, environmental protection), institutional and infrastructural mechanisms (infrastructural challenges, policy/governance issues, financial incentives, institutional barriers, adaptive learning), and economic-social outcomes (employment generation, economic security, migration reduction). The conceptual map illustrated interactive, causal, and feedback relationships: indigenous capacities positively influence outcomes, institutional challenges constrain, and adaptive learning facilitates. Quantitative EFA (KMO=0.841, Bartlett's test p<0.001) confirmed the structure, extracting 4 factors explaining 56.86% variance: indigenous participation and economic outcomes (high loadings on economic security 0.794, environmental protection 0.754, employment 0.745), institutional and infrastructural mechanisms (institutional barriers 0.816, policy challenges 0.617), adaptive empowerment on indigenous capacities (adaptive learning 0.763, financial incentives 0.679, empowerment 0.503), and cultural capital and regional representation (hosting culture 0.753, migration reduction 0.651). High qualitative-quantitative alignment strengthened theoretical coherence: outcomes matched factor 1, institutional with 2, prerequisites with 3, capacities with 4. Ecotourism enhances environmental protection and awareness, aligning with Moswete et al. (2022) and Gidebo (2023) on reduced poaching and habitat improvement. Economic findings concur with Pourjopari et al. (2023) and Toulabi Nejad and Poodineh (2020) on positive livelihood impacts. Institutional emphasis matches Aali and Sadeghi (2021); internationally, with Liu and Chamaratana (2024) and Shi et al. (2022) on stakeholder participation and life quality. In Ardabil's border context, economic-cultural-institutional interactions with environmental features demand balanced conservation-exploitation.

4. Conclusions

Ecotourism in Ardabil's border regions serves as a development mechanism for sustainable livelihoods, requiring synergy among indigenous capacities, social participation, efficient governance, and empowerment. The integrated model provides a basis for sustainable policies, spatial justice, and economic security. Limitations include geographic focus, suggesting comparative multi-regional studies. This systemic approach is generalizable to other border areas.

5. Aknowledgmant & Funding

·        The manuscript did not receive a grant from any organization.

·        The authors sincerely appreciate and thank all colleagues, experts, and individuals who assisted in the stages of data collection, analysis, and preparation of this work.

6. Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.