Motaleate Shahri

Urban Planning

A study of the effect of social capital on the tendency toward tourist arrival (Case Study: City of Marivan)

Fateh Habibi

Volume 5, Issue 18 , May 2016, , Pages 37-50

Abstract

In the twenty-first century, technological progress has given people more free time and wealth to spend on their leisure activities. In fact, the second half of the twentieth century should be called the era of the tourism industry. Nowadays, there is an intense competition between different countries ... Read More In the twenty-first century, technological progress has given people more free time and wealth to spend on their leisure activities. In fact, the second half of the twentieth century should be called the era of the tourism industry. Nowadays, there is an intense competition between different countries to attract tourists. Furthermore, as a dynamic industry having unique features, tourism now accounts for a significant part of the economic and manufacturing activities of developed and developing countries. International tourism has developed rapidly in the last two decades and today tourism is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing industries. The tourism industry has become a major economic sector that generates foreign exchange earnings in most countries. The number of international tourists in the world will increase to 1602 million by 2020, while revenues from tourism will reach approximately US$200 billion. The world travel and tourism council (WTTC) expects travel and tourism to continue to be one of the world’s largest industries. In 2015, the tourism industry contributed to 9.8 % of global GDP and accounted for 279 million jobs. Over the next ten years (by 2025), it is anticipated that this industry will account for 10.5% of the global GDP and 356 million jobs worldwide. Attracting tourists is one of the pillars of the tourism industry along with the elements necessary for the host society to provide the right conditions for attracting tourists. The behavior and attitude of the host society as revealed in its interaction with tourists are essential to the growth of tourism. As a business and service activity, tourism plays an important role in the economic development of a city. In terms of tourism destinations, investigating the tourism industry is important because it informs planners and policy makers about tourism destinations and their features. In this way, the management of tourism destinations will be able to equip the target market according to tourists’ needs. Due to the increasing arrivals of domestic and foreign tourists to Marivan, the main objective of this study is to evaluate the role of social capital of local residents in their tendency toward welcoming tourists. Over 90% of respondents had moderate to high tendency toward accepting tourists. An analytical-descriptive methodology has been applied in this study. The questionnaire contains 23 items on a 5-point Likert scale. 280 questionnaires were distributed among tourists in Marivan in 2015, from which 254 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to ensure the reliability of the research tool. The questionnaire showed a very good reliability of 0.78 percent. Descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient, independent t-test, bivariate regression analysis) were applied to analyze the data using SPSS. The results indicated that there is a significant relationship between the variables of social capital (trust, cohesion and participation) and people’s education and their tendency to accept tourists. Moreover, there is a significant relationship between sex and job status of people and their tendency toward accepting tourists. Multivariate regression analysis showed that independent variables explain 13% of the dependent variable (tendency toward accepting tourists).

empowerment of informal settlements based on asset based policies of communities development

E P; ئ ق

Volume 3, Issue 10 , May 2014, , Pages 63-72

Abstract

Informal settlements as a phenomenon with physical, socio-economic and spatial dimensions, are caused by modern urbanization and progress discourse in the enlightenment era present challenges for sustainable city development. Since the late 1980s, empowerment approach by patronage of the World Bank has ... Read More Informal settlements as a phenomenon with physical, socio-economic and spatial dimensions, are caused by modern urbanization and progress discourse in the enlightenment era present challenges for sustainable city development. Since the late 1980s, empowerment approach by patronage of the World Bank has been searching for transformation and regularization of these types of communities by fiscal policy making based on local assets such as social capital, physical capital and low financial capital with a process-oriented approach, a holistic view of place and people’s happiness as well as capacity building of informal settlements in order to replace a culture of entitlement and of libertinism which is the outcome of need-based policies of community development. This article is based on the internal relationship between empowerment and asset based policy making. The aim of this article is to find the effect of social, physical, and local assets on the empowerment of informal settlements of Tabriz. Asset is defined as the financial, social, economic, and physical capabilities of humans. Its appearance on the local scale is in a network format. Asset based approaches have three characteristics: (1) since it focuses on extending capacity, it is process-oriented, (2) as it focuses on all assets, it is social-oriented, and finally (3), it is an instrument. This view tends toward the congruence of “people’s happiness and place”. This paper is based on the following essential question: what is the role of local financial, physical and social assets in the empowerment informal settlements of Tabriz? Tabriz Metropolitan area is situated the northwest of Iran. Many informal settlements populations in Tabriz are especially in the northeast, south and southeast zones of the city. The physical and socio- economic situation of the informal settlements in the diverse city zones have varying characters. However, the subject of this study is how the empowerment approach can be used best in Tabriz’s informal settlements. Research method is descriptive – analytical. In the conceptual model we have tried to present how asset-based policy-making can lead to empowerment. The following indexes were selected to represent empowerment: a sense of competence, autonomy, effectiveness, being meaningful and a sense of trust. The research was carried out in the informal settlements of Molazeynal, Seylab, Gushkhane and Khalil Abad quarters are the research clusters. The sample size was 224 people. In conclusion, the components of asset based policy, namely social capital, physical capital and financial capital, in a community's development have a significant impact on the empowerment of informal settlements.

Urban Sociology

Comparing Social and Institutional Capacities for Sustainable Development in the Cities of Karaj and Qazvin

Volume 1, Issue 4 , March 2012, , Pages 81-94

Abstract

Nowadays, more attentions have been paid on sustainability and following its goals in cities development and planning. Mentioning sustainable development principles as fundamental concepts that their main attentions are on preserving capitals for intergenerational justice, have become an ongoing and ... Read More Nowadays, more attentions have been paid on sustainability and following its goals in cities development and planning. Mentioning sustainable development principles as fundamental concepts that their main attentions are on preserving capitals for intergenerational justice, have become an ongoing and general purpose in city development plans. Since taking this route without being aware of the cities’ conditions might be impossible, evaluation of achievement of sustainable development goals has become government’s agenda. Extensive research and literature reviews have been done on assessment of sustainable development with various approaches and methods. Measuring achievements of sustainable development can be discussed from two main substantive and procedural perspectives. Substantive dimension includes the variables affecting the outcome of policies and consists of social, economic, and environmental sustainability evaluation. In fact, these variables represent the development of city. Whereas, procedural perspective refers to methods and processes of achieving sustainable development and urban planners’ role in this case is to arrange procedures and processes for sustainable decision- making. Moreover, this dimension consists of basic factors that can act as a backup and stimulus for sustainability. Considering focusing of majority of research works conducted in Iran is on substantial dimension of sustainable development, this study intended to discuss the relationship between sustainable development and social capital, institutional capital, and capacity building. In addition, we evaluated and compared procedural indicators of sustainable development in both cities of Karaj and Qazvin. Research variables were institutional capital, social capital, and capacity building. In this study, the main techniques used for data collection were interviews with experts and managers and administering questionnaire in the field. Interviews were used to collect data in capacity building indicators and questionnaires were used for social capital and institutional capital data collecting. We used Simple Random Sampling for indicators of social capital. Whereas, non-probability purposive sampling was used for institutional capital and capacity building indicators. For data analysis, the inferential statistics, descriptive and qualitative significance test means and methods were used. Our results revealed a significant difference between the variables of social capital, institutional capital, and capacity building in these cities. However, the indicators in Qazvin were in a better situation compared with Karaj. Thus, it seems that Qazvin has a better orientation in moving towards sustainable development in comparison with Karaj. Moreover, it seems that Qazvin is moving in the right path towards sustainability and has accelerated move towards sustainable development compared to Karaj.

Articles in Press

Current Issue

Volume 13 (2024)

Volume 12 (2023)

Volume 11 (2022)

Volume 10 (2021)

Volume 9 (2020)

Volume 8 (2019)

Volume 7 (2018)

Volume 6 (2017)

Volume 5 (2016)

Volume 4 (2015)

Volume 3 (2014)

Volume 2 (2013)

Volume 1 (2012)

Keywords = Social Capital

A study of the effect of social capital on the tendency toward tourist arrival (Case Study: City of Marivan)

Abstract

empowerment of informal settlements based on asset based policies of communities development

Abstract

Comparing Social and Institutional Capacities for Sustainable Development in the Cities of Karaj and Qazvin

Abstract