Feasibility Study of Converting Historical Texture Neighborhoods to Creative Urban Tourism Neighborhoods with 15-Minute Cities Approach (Case Study: Urmia Historical Texture)

Cities, as the main centers for cultivating and absorbing ideas, play a main role in this competition and cities are in close competition on the move to globalization and in order to retain and attract creative people, they try to attract more opportunities by improving their hierarchical structure . In recent years, there have been many changes in attitudes towards tourism and it is seen as an industry and the use of this industry is considered as a city development factor . Also Urban neighborhoods, as communication centers in cities, play an important role in the social and economic life of residents. These spaces belong to the all citizen and although they are not limited to the physical aspect and find meaning with the presence of man and his activity, but these are the physical characteristics of the urban space that pave the way for social groups to enter and pause. Historic cities should be protected on the one hand because of their historical and cultural values and on the other hand because of their special solidarity and homogeneity; and because of the continuation of life and acceptance of the realities of today’s life, positive changes must be made in them.

Creative tourism is one of the most popular tourism development strategies and creative tourists are looking for new goals in order to gain a unique and creative experience . actually, creative tourism tries to add new strategies for tourism development. It can be said that reviving the identity of neighborhoods in the old contexts of the city that have potentials in terms of archeology and history and in order to develop creative tourism is one of the creative methods of the city. Therefore, in this context, the concept of 15-minute cities can be a way to improve the quality of life by creating cities where a quarter of an hour on foot or by bike can achieve everything a resident need. The 15-minute city requires a minimum travel to housing, offices, restaurants, parks, hospitals and cultural sites. This structure can be applied in urban historical contexts. This prevents tissue wear and can affect residents' sense of identity and belonging, and restore potential lost urban vitality. And because of this in this research, considering the potentials in the historical contexts of Urmia, it is tried to examine whether it is possible to turn the existing neighborhoods into creative 15-minute tourism neighborhoods or not? And what measures should be considered to create these neighborhoods to be implemented? For witnessed the existence of creative 15-minute tourism neighborhoods in the historical context of Urmia.



Methods

The purpose of this research is practical research and survey method. Library studies have been used to explain the literature and documentary methods have been used to collect information. The statistical population and geographical area are studied in the whole historical context of Urmia and predicts and explains the future time. According to the criteria of the creative 15-minute tourism city, the indicators are divided into quantitative and qualitative. Optimal limit and evaluation of the current status of qualitative indicators has been done using a questionnaire and quantitative indicators have been examined through the Geographic Information System (GIS) and in the ArcGIS environment with the Buffer command, the access radius and service of each of them in a distance of 15 minutes equal to 1250 meters.



Results and discussion

Among the studied indicators, all indicators in the current situation are significantly different from the optimal limit. And none of them are in favorable condition. Considering that the old texture of Urmia city is also considered as the center of Urmia city, the aggregation of uses in this area has been high. Therefore, there are almost all urban uses and services in this context. There is a 15-minute coverage and access radius of quantitative indicators. As a result, with 15 minutes of walking (1250 meters) or cycling in the historical context of Urmia, you can access all the facilities and uses of the local level. Therefore, quantitative indicators, in contrast to qualitative indicators, are in a completely favorable condition, but they are not in a good condition in terms of quality. However, it has strengthened the possibility of creating creative neighborhoods in 15minutes.



Conclusion

Assessing the current status of the studied qualitative indicators, it can be concluded that before creating 15-minute creative tourism neighborhoods, strategies should be considered to strengthen the indicators. Then, to create these neighborhoods, it is easier and more controlled to provide better solutions to achieve this goal faster, easier and cheaper. Due to the continuous relationship between the indicators, there is a dependence between them, which means that the indicators affect each other and cover each other's strengths and weaknesses. In such a way that strengthening one of the indicators hierarchically has a positive effect on improving the status of other indicators.

Although the current situation of qualitative indicators is not favorable, but in the study of quantitative indicators, we hope that 15-minute creative tourist neighborhoods can be created in the historical and old context of Urmia. In such a way that the diversity and level of service of urban uses in this context has been evaluated to the desired level, and all the quantitatively studied indicators have100% coverage of 15 minutes on foot and by bicycle, and citizens can easily access these facilities. By summarizing and considering the positive and negative points as well as the weaknesses and strengths of quantitative and qualitative indicators together, opportunities can be found to create the desired neighborhoods. This situation requires a comprehensive and integrated plan of all urban organs and institutions in order to be able to create more appropriate and high-quality cities and neighborhoods for citizens with their creativity in the cultural and social conditions of the country and region. Therefore, there is a long way to go to create creative tourism of 15 minutes in the historical context of Urmia, and a comprehensive and complete plan must be prepared and implemented along with measuring all the factors.