Locating natural tourism areas based on principles of landscape architecture (Using a combination of focus group discussions and the Analytical Hierarchy Process)

Ecotourism is a sort of tourism that leaves the least deleterious effects on Environmental and Natural Resources. It contributes to preservation, survival, and continuation of species and natural habitats. It was introduced 1990 as an intermediary to sustainable development by NGOs, development experts and academic centers and has been studied ever since. In recent years this issue has attracted notable attention. Different organizations and at the head of them, the Cultural Heritage and Tourism organization has planed and constructed such sites in different regions and scales. Despite all these efforts, Sometimes selection of these sites is faced with challenge and need for smart and responsible choice is felt to meet the expectations of experts, officials and people. Now the question is: what criteria should be considered for locating sites with natural tourism potential? How can influence the importance of these criteria with respect to the available options in the final choice? This article will propose the systematic and accurate process for locating these sites with formation of the focus group discussion and composite it to analytical Hierarchy Process. Research method is Case study with making use of combinational strategies, and data collecting with field visits and the library methods. The research instrument is AHP plus Math-lab software with respect to the pervasive computations for forming the process.