Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Department of Tourism Management and Economics, Faculty of Tourism, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2
Department of Tourism Management and Economics, Faculty of Tourism, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Nowadays, nature-based tourism destinations are incredibly vulnerable to climatic and environmental changes due to their direct dependence on natural resources. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events, ecosystem degradation, and instability of natural resources highlight the importance of sustainable management in these destinations. The research aims to identify the factors that influence the management of nature-based tourism destinations in the face of climatic and environmental changes and to offer a context-based pattern. The data, with a qualitative approach and purposeful sampling method, were collected through semi-structured interviews with 27 experts in the fields of physical geography, environment, meteorology, tourism, crisis management, and remote sensing. Initially, individuals were identified based on their academic expertise and work experience in relevant fields, and interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached. The thematic analysis method was used for data analysis. 60 basic themes were organized into 12 organizing themes, and ultimately, 4 global themes were discovered: destination management and organization, sustainable infrastructure and conservation, resource management and sustainable transportation, and monitoring and education. The findings indicate that the effective management of these destinations requires a multi-dimensional and participatory approach that relies on sustainability. Enhancing the climate resilience of nature-based destinations against climatic and environmental changes needs the integration of comprehensive management planning, ecosystem conservation, sustainable infrastructure development, resource management, local community participation, and technology utilization. Adopting an integrated approach reduces the climatic vulnerability, preserves natural assets, and leads to sustainable development in nature-based tourism destinations.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Nature-based tourism, as one of the most important sectors of the global tourism industry, includes activities that take place in natural landscapes, ecosystems, and open spaces. This branch of tourism not only seeks to achieve the goals of sustainable development but also involves environmental education, natural resource protection, and the experience of indigenous cultures within the natural context. Nevertheless, nature-based tourism destinations have become increasingly vulnerable to climatic and environmental changes due to their direct and deep dependence on natural resources.
Climatic change refers to long-term transformations in weather patterns, ecological systems, temperature, precipitation, and other atmospheric processes, which are mainly caused by human activities such as greenhouse gas emissions, industrialization, deforestation, and pollution. These changes manifest as global warming, alterations in weather patterns, melting of ice caps, and rising sea levels, leaving severe impacts on natural systems, human health, and economic stability. Environmental change, which is closely related to climatic change, denotes to a wide range of ecosystem transformations that result from both human interventions and natural processes. These changes include biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, resource pollution, and soil erosion.
Natural sites that were once considered stable have now become highly vulnerable to unexpected climatic and environmental changes. These transformations not only alter the physical characteristics of tourism destinations but also disrupt tourists' perceptions, demand patterns, and the long-term sustainability of destinations. Threats such as recurring droughts, rising sea temperatures, coral bleaching, heightened forest fire risk, and vegetation cover loss reduce the visual and ecological appeal of destinations and impair ecosystem functioning. Such interconnected impacts reveal the necessity of developing adaptive strategies, including nature-based solutions.
Despite extensive international research in this field, a careful review of the existing literature reveals that most of these studies have focused on developed countries and globally recognized destinations such as Australia, Canada, and European countries. The existing literature in Iran is very limited, largely descriptive, and lacks operational and localized frameworks. Nature-based tourism destinations in Iran, due to their specific climatic characteristics (being located in an arid and semi-arid region), centralized management structure, and unique socio-economic challenges, face a particular type of vulnerability that has not been addressed in international research. Therefore, the present study aims to identify the factors affecting the management of nature-based tourism destinations in the face of climatic and environmental changes and to provide a localized and integrated model for managing these destinations in Iran. The main research question is: What factors influence the management of nature-based tourism destinations in the face of climatic and environmental changes?
Methodology
The study is qualitative in nature and aims to explain and provide a comprehensive model for managing nature-based tourism destinations in the face of climatic and environmental changes. In terms of approach, this study is exploratory and seeks to identify the factors affecting the management of these destinations from the perspective of experts and scholars. In terms of purpose, the research falls into the category of applied research.
The participants included 27 experts and specialists in the fields of physical geography, environment, meteorology, tourism, crisis management, nature-based tourism, remote sensing, watershed management, natural resources engineering, water engineering, and soil science and engineering. The reason for selecting this wide range of expertise is the interdisciplinary nature of the research problem and the need to cover different dimensions of managing nature-based destinations. Access to participants was achieved through purposive sampling and using the academic and professional networks of the researchers. Individuals were identified and invited to participate based on two main criteria: "scientific expertise in one of the relevant fields" and "practical work experience in managing or studying nature-based destinations." The interview process continued until theoretical saturation was reached; saturation was accomplished at the twenty-fourth interview, but to ensure greater certainty, three additional interviews were conducted, which added no new themes to the findings.
The semi-structured interview protocol was developed based on a review of the research literature and consultation with two experts in the fields of tourism and environment. The main interview questions covered the most imperative challenges facing nature-based tourism destinations, proposed management strategies, the role of local communities, the impact of new technologies, and the indicators of a resilient destination in the face of climatic change. The questions were designed as open-ended to allow participants to express diverse views and experiences. The interviews were conducted in person at the participants' workplaces, and each interview lasted an average of 50 to 60 minutes. All interviews were recorded with the participants' permission and then fully transcribed.
Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data, utilizing a three-level model of basic, organizing, and global themes. The analysis process consisted of six stages: familiarization with the data through repeated reading of the interview transcripts, generating initial codes from the transcripts, searching for basic themes by grouping similar initial codes, reviewing basic themes and merging them into conceptual clusters to form organizing themes, defining and naming organizing themes and combining them to achieve global themes, and finally producing the final report. The coding and analysis process was carried out by the researcher and then reviewed by two other researchers. Disagreements were resolved through discussion.
Lincoln and Guba's criteria including credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability were utilized to ensure the validity and reliability of the research. To ensure credibility, the member checking method was used. Transferability was ensured through the provision of comprehensive descriptions of the research setting, participant profiles, and the processes of data collection and analysis. To ensure dependability, all stages of the research were documented, and the re-coding method was used with an intra-subject agreement rate of over 85%. All raw documents, initial codes, and analytical notes were maintained to ensure confirmability.
Results and Discussion
The findings exhibited that during the thematic analysis process, after several stages of merging and comparing the initial codes, 60 basic themes were extracted. In the next stage, these 60 concepts were combined into similar conceptual clusters, creating 12 organizing themes, which ultimately formed 4 global themes. The four identified global themes are: destination management and organization, sustainable infrastructure and conservation, resource management and sustainable transportation, and monitoring and education.
The first global theme, "integrated destination management and organization," emphasizes the need for structured planning, continuous monitoring, and preparedness for hazards. This theme includes three organizing themes: "destination management and planning," "organizing tourism activities," and "crisis and climate risk management." At the basic theme level, several measures were identified such as determining the carrying capacity of each site and scheduling visits, preparing a comprehensive climate management plan for the destination, zoning the destination into protected-tourism zones, creating a digital reservation and entry control system, standardizing and licensing nature-based tours, designating permitted and prohibited tourism routes, designing climate hazard maps including floods, droughts, and landslides, equipping the destination with a rapid warning system, and reinforcing vulnerable points against natural disasters. This finding indicates that under conditions of climatic uncertainty, managing nature-based destinations is only possible by relying on control tools and proactive decision-making systems.
The second global theme, "development of sustainable infrastructure and ecological protection," forms the physical foundation for adaptation to environmental changes. This theme includes three organizing themes: "ecosystem protection," "water and soil resources restoration," and "sustainable infrastructure." The basic themes in this section include restoring native vegetation in erosion-prone areas, restricting access to sensitive habitats, fire management through firebreaks and warning systems, constructing small sediment retention dams to reduce erosion, the constant monitoring of water quality in the destination's natural resources, preventing illegal extraction from springs and aquifers, installing solar energy systems to supply energy for service centers, constructing low-consumption sanitary facilities equipped with wastewater treatment systems, and using low-carbon materials in the construction of tourism structures. These findings show that approaches based on ecosystem restoration and low-carbon infrastructure development, in addition to reducing climatic vulnerability, pave the way for the long-term and sustainable development of destinations.
The third global theme, "resource management and transportation within the framework of a green economy," addresses the operational and economic aspects of sustainable management. This theme comprises three organizing themes: "waste and pollution management," "green economy and resource management," and "sustainable transport and mobility." The basic themes in this section involve installing waste separation stations at key points in the destination, restricting the use of single-use plastics, managing wastewater with standard local treatment systems, creating financial incentives for local low-carbon businesses, implementing entry fees based on consumption and environmental impact, annually calculating the destination's carbon footprint, launching electric transport services for tourist mobility, creating peripheral parking lots and restricting private vehicles, and constructing safe and sustainable bicycle paths. These findings indicate that conservation efforts require modifying consumption patterns, managing waste, and organizing tourist mobility.
The fourth global theme, "technological monitoring and stakeholder empowerment through education and participation," provides the basis for implementing and sustaining strategies. This theme consists of three organizing themes: "technology and environmental monitoring," "local community participation," and "tourist education and awareness-raising." The basic themes in this section contain installing air and water quality monitoring sensors in sensitive areas, using drones to monitor environmental changes, employing Geographic Information Systems to monitor vegetation and erosion, creating a mobile application for public reporting of environmental violations, forming a joint tourism management committee with the participation of local people, educating local communities about conservation and responsible tourism, installing educational signs along nature trails, holding climate change awareness campaigns, and training local guides to convey conservation messages. These findings demonstrate that adopting modern environmental monitoring technologies and local community participation, along with targeted tourist education, leads to increased awareness, the formation of participatory governance, and destinations’ enhanced socio-ecological resilience.
The analysis of the findings within the triple theoretical framework of resilience, social capital, and institutional theory illustrates that successful management of nature-based tourism destinations requires an integrated approach. From the perspective of resilience theory, measures such as preparing a comprehensive climate management plan, designing hazard maps, and creating a rapid warning system increase the system's forecasting and response capacity. Through the lens of social capital theory, the success of conservation measures is highly dependent on the participation of local communities and networks of trust and cooperation. From the standpoint of institutional theory, creating financial incentives, implementing entry fees based on environmental impact, and restricting single-use plastics are examples of applying the three institutional pillars in destination management.
Conclusion
The study aimed to identify the factors affecting the management of nature-based tourism destinations in the face of climatic and environmental changes and to provide a localized and integrated model. The findings showed that the effective management of these destinations requires a multi-dimensional, participatory approach based on the principles of sustainability. The four identified global themes including destination management and organization, sustainable infrastructure and conservation, resource management and sustainable transportation, and monitoring and education provide a comprehensive framework for policy-making and practical action in this field.
This research is innovative and important in several respects. First, by drawing on the knowledge and lived experience of Iranian experts, it provides, for the first time, a localized and integrated framework for managing nature-based tourism destinations in the face of climatic and environmental changes in Iran. Second, by integrating three fundamental theories of resilience, social capital, and institutional theory, it offers a deep and systematic interpretation of the findings that can serve as a basis for future research. Third, the proposed framework can be used as an operational roadmap by policymakers, managers, and tourism planners in Iran.
The proposed framework indicates that soaring the resilience of nature-based tourism destinations against climatic and environmental changes requires the integration of five basic components: integrated and proactive management planning, the protection and restoration of natural ecosystems, the development of sustainable and low-carbon physical infrastructure, the optimal management of resources especially water, soil, and waste, the active participation of local communities and tourists, and the employment of modern technologies for monitoring and education.
Adopting such an integrated approach will lead to reduced the climatic vulnerability of destinations, the preservation of natural and ecological assets, the improvement of tourist experiences, the increased participation of local communities, and ultimately the sustainable development of nature-based tourism destinations in Iran. The study indicates that unlike previous research, which has mainly focused on developed countries, nature-based destinations in Iran, due to their specific climatic characteristics, centralized management structure, and unique socio-economic challenges, require local strategies tailored to local contexts. The model presented in this study can serve as a starting point for moving from theoretical and descriptive approaches to practical and operational actions in the management of these destinations.
Funding
This work is based upon research funded by Iran National Science Foundation (INSF) under project No.4047167.
Authors’ Contribution
In the writing of this article, Saeideh Esmaili was responsible for study design, data analysis, drafting the initial manuscript, and final editing; Fatemeh Irilouzadeh undertook data collection, literature review, and drafting the initial manuscript; and Sajad Ferdowsi performed data interpretation, critical revision of the content, and final editing.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.
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