An Analysis of Factors Affecting the Economic Sustainability of Rural Tourism Destinations, Case Study: Tourism Target Villages of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Provinces

Rural areas are known as cheap tourist destinations for leisure and recreation due to the combination of natural and cultural tourist attractions resulting from geographical features and lifestyles. Rural tourism development is considered by most researchers as a tool for regeneration and socio-economic revitalization of rural areas to achieve sustainable development. Increasing the number of incoming tourists to rural areas has led to new needs and demands in rural tourist areas, which provide competitive advantages, play an important role in tourist loyalty, satisfaction and re-support of destinations. The present study aims to investigate the role of transportation in the economic competitiveness of rural tourism destinations. The present study is of applied type and its nature is descriptive-analytical based on data collection using field methods (observation and completion of a questionnaire. At the household analysis level, out of 1312 cases, 297 households were selected as a sample using the Cochran's formula and the questionnaire was completed using systematic sampling method. To analyze the data, statistical tests such as t Single sample, cluster analysis, Pearson correlation and Kruskal-Wallis were used. The results showed that among the three competitiveness indices studied (destination attractions, basic services and tourism areas), the tourist attraction index with the average Numerical 3.98 has the greatest effect. Also, according to the correlation coefficient of 0.837, there is a significant correlation between tourism competitiveness indicators and economic development of tourism target villages at the level of 99 %.In addition, the result of Kruskal test Wallis showed a significant difference between the target villages in terms of competitiveness and economic development There is a significant role for geographical factors such as climate, roughness and diversity of tourist attractions in this difference. An Analysis of Factors Affecting the Economic Sustainability of Rural Tourism Destinations, Case Study: Tourism Target Villages of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Provinces