Explaining the Role of Social Participation Components of Local Residents in Reducing the Negative Effects of Rural Tourism (A case study of villages in the central part of Fereydoun County)

Tourism is a community-based industry, and the participation of residents is crucial for its success and long-term sustainability. This research aims to explore the role of social participation components of local residents in reducing the negative consequences of rural tourism in the central part of Faridan. The research is of an applied type, and in terms of research method, it is a descriptive-survey type based on a questionnaire. The statistical population of the research includes the residents of villages in the central part of Faridan, which according to the last census of 2015, is equal to 14,050 people and 4,673 households. Using Cochran's formula, a sample size of 375 people was sampled. A researcher-made questionnaire was used as the measuring instrument and the face validity was verified by a panel of experts. Its reliability was calculated based on Cronbach's alpha formula, ranging between 0.963 and 0.776 for different components. The questionnaire was randomly distributed among the residents based on the distribution of the village population. The findings suggest a positive and significant relationship between all the effective components of the research (social participation) and the socio-cultural variable. In the regression test, it was found that the educational level had a more significant effect compared to other variables in improving rural tourism. Therefore, increasing participation through social capital can lead to the improvement of tourism and the reduction of the social consequences of tourism in the villages of the studied region.