Zoning the Potential Areas for Nature-based Tourism Using GIS: A Case Study of Isfahan Province

The present study intended to determine the priority areas for nature-based tourism in Isfahan province, Iran. Considering the components in question, this study was applied-developmental in nature and its methodology was descriptive-survey based on a systematic analysis of the potentials utilization, potential assessment and identification of priority areas and their combination. To carry out the assessment, the natural tourism attractions were ranked in terms of three variables, namely number of attractions, level of performance (national, local and international) and level of access (pedestrian vs. car). As the findings of the study indicated, the Southern and Western regions of Isfahan Province were of the greatest potential for natural tourism. For ranking purpose, Isfahan Province was divided into 5 categories and it was found that Semirom, Chadegan, Fereydunshahr and Fereydan counties scored the highest; hence, these counties can be considered as the priority areas for nature-based tourism development. The study on the potential assessment of Isfahan Province in terms of nature-based tourism development revealed that based on the assigned scores, approximately up to %15.18 and %11.78 of the natural tourism attractions existing in this province are located in the Semirom and Fereydunshahr counties, respectively. Accordingly, it can be claimed that these two counties are of paramount significance as the two axial nature-based tourism priority areas in Isfahan Province. As a result, nature-based tourism can be considered as one of the most important development areas for these two counties.