Analysis of Women's Attitude Towards Women- only Tourism - leisure Spaces Case Study: Women Park of Amol

Introduction Urban space planning is one of the most important concerns of urban planners, particularly in regard to urban public spaces. The point is that urban public spaces play a key role in providing the citizens with spending leisure time, urban tourism experiences, civic activities and social participation in urban spaces. However, women’s leisure has been influenced by social changes in recent years. Women’s presence in urban areas still encounters unsatisfied expectations, damages to the female’s world and lack of a suitable pattern of leisure and urban recreational spaces. In women’s opinion, public places like parks are still affected by factors such as insecurity, discomfort and lack of a sense of relief for pleasure. This study attempts to investigate women's attitudes towards the phenomenon and finally seeks to find out how women’s views on these spaces are assessed in northern cities of Iran.
Materials and methods Since research methodology of the paper is based on questionnaire, Cochran formula is applied to calculate the sample size so that total population of the region is determined as 385 people. The population is distributed throughout 25 regions, according to population of each region. Likert scale (5-point) is used to prepare the questionnaire. The statistical population is defined through cluster sampling as sort of probability sampling and random selection of individuals within clusters. In this study, 10 items are set for satisfaction index and 8 items are considered for the female’s attitudes towards the women’s park. When questionnaires are distributed, the data are introduced to SPSS for statistical analysis. Both descriptive and inferential statistics are utilized for data analysis; so that the mean, standard deviation and Spearman correlation test are employed for descriptive analysis and ANOVA and Somers’ D method are used for inferential analysis.
Discussion and Result The study aims to find out whether the female’s attitude towards women’s recreational spaces is positive or not in a northern cities of Iran. Various leisure activities are assessed in this regard and relationship between different contextual variables and recreation is also concerned due to their importance in evaluation of these parks from women’s point of view. Research findings demonstrate women’s interest in formation of such parks in the city being studied. Most of them believe that construction of female spaces, like women’s parks, improves sense of security among the female. Although they do not agree with isolating and sexualizing urban spaces generally, construction of such parks are considered appropriate due to freedom of practices, clothing (hijab), sports, etc. Given the relations between contextual variables, the results show a relationship between education, income and jobs and women’s attitude and satisfaction of such leisure facilities.
Conclusion The results show that in Amol, the female population generally considers women’s parks as a choice of leisure activities; they believe that construction of such facilities do not sexualize other urban spaces and women’s parks are a suitable place for urban tourism and leisure activities because of great freedom of practice and the absence of men. Therefore, the first hypothesis is proved. Employed and literate women are more concerned about feminist opinions and separated spaces than unemployed housewives. On the other hand, women’s satisfaction of recreational patterns declines as they get more highly educated; because their expectations of urban spaces are enhanced and employed women have less free time. So the second hypothesis is also proved.