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https://ptsldigital.ukm.my/jspui/handle/123456789/497576| Title: | Assessment of ecotourism status and resident's support for its development in Guilan, North of Iran |
| Authors: | Saman Imanifard (P48499) |
| Supervisor: | Er Ah Choy, Prof. Dr. |
| Keywords: | Ecotourism Community Local Guilan Iran Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia -- Dissertations |
| Issue Date: | 2-Aug-2017 |
| Description: | Endowed with significant natural resources, Guilan is one of the main ecotouristic potentials of Iran in both local and international scales. In order to assess local community's support for ecotourism development in Guilan, the level of residents' attitude and knowledge toward ecotourism as well as their perception of impacts of ecotourism were measured. The survey was accomplished by passing 400 questionnaires to local community from four dominant ecotouristic sites of Guilan namely at Laton Waterfall, Anzali Lagoon, Masooleh Village and Rural Abode Museum. Social exchange theory was used as a foundation of the conceptual framework. AMOS software was applied for inferential analyses using structural equation modelling. A series of hypotheses in eight paths were proposed to evaluate the relationship among variables. The model incorporated attitude and knowledge as independent variables to evaluate the dependent variable of support. Environmental and socioeconomic impacts were considered as mediating variables in this model. The results showed that the participants have generally favorable but not enthusiastic attitude toward ecotourism development. Complete economic satisfaction of local community through attention to their local product market is required to improve residents' attitude. Also positive attitude in Guilan highly depends on participating local people in tourism planning. Results showed that even though the concept of environmental improvement for future generation is not well known or at least has no priority for Guilan residents; they still displayed an above moderate knowledge about ecotourism. Responses were heterogeneous on issues of impact of ecotourism in their region. According to the path analysis, the total effect of attitude and knowledge on local support for ecotourism in Guilan was positive and significant. The mediators also remarkably influence support so that the highest direct effect belonged to positive environment impact followed by negative socio-economic impact. Understanding about local community's support for ecotourism is critical for successful implication of policies.,Certification of Master's/Doctoral Thesis" is not available |
| Pages: | 247 |
| Publisher: | UKM, Bangi |
| Appears in Collections: | Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan |
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| ukmvital_97140+SOURCE1+SOURCE1.0.PDF Restricted Access | 370.1 kB | Adobe PDF |  View/Open |
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