Assessing the Environmental Capacity of the Southern Caspian Sea for the Development of Agritourism with Emphasis on Rural Areas of Guilan, Mazandaran and Golestan Provinces of Iran

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the environmental capacity of the southern Caspian Sea to develop Agritourism in rural areas of Guilan, Mazandaran, and Golestan provinces. Agritourism is considered a service activity in providing currency and income for rural communities and is an economic strategy.Research Method: The present study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of approach. Secondary data analysis was used to assess the agricultural situation and field data were used in the field of environmental landscape, human activities, and infrastructure. Data were collected and monitored, encoded, and analyzed in an SPSS environment.Findings: The results indicate that – according to the maps drawn in the field of agricultural products in these three provinces and to the opinions of relevant experts – Guilan Province, with an average of 3.47 in relation to the formation and development of Agritourism from the situation, is the best; Golestan Province, with an average of 3.38, is the next; and finally, with a very small difference, Mazandaran Province with an average of 3.24, is in the third place. As a result, the southern part of the Caspian Sea, especially its rural areas, is suitable for the development of agritourism.Research Limitations: The main challenges in the process of this research are the lack of easy access to experts related to agriculture, tourism and rural issues, as well as the lack of up-to-date statistical data in this field.Originality/Value: This research was conducted for the first time in the southern region of the Caspian Sea and could pave the way for further research.