The Assessment of Investment Preferences in Exemplary Tourism Regions (The Case of Kashan Township, Iran)

Abstract

Nowadays many countries in the world have appreciated the broad dimensions of tourism industry in terms of production, employment and revenue production. From a couple of decades ago these countries have been developing this industry to a great extent. Iran is one of the countries that –due to having natural, historical and cultural potentials has always been noticed by tourists from all over the world; and this provides appropriate conditions to utilize and develop tourism infrastructures. According to article 9 of establishing act of cultural heritage, artifacts and tourism organization, in order to attract domestic and foreign investors and to establish infrastructural tourism installations and providing tourists with proper services, the government can let the nongovernmental applicant establish exemplary tourism areas in appropriate regions of the country and tourism poles with an emphasis on less developed regions. In this research, using SWOT strategic model, we tried to identify strengths and weaknesses of exemplary tourism areas in Kashan and then we assessed and prioritized investment in the exemplary regions of this city proportionate to the strengths and weaknesses of them using the analytical and hierarchical process (AHP). And finally we have offered some approaches to further develop tourism in these regions. The results of the research indicated that among the selected and approved exemplary regions in Kahsan township, Qamsar region and Niyasar region had the most ranking for tourism development investments with the ranking coefficients of 1.7384 and 1.7157 respectively.