A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective on Tourism Development in Historic Urban Districts: The Case of Yazd, Iran

A B S T R A C T
Historical tourism plays a crucial role in the economic and cultural development of cities with historical textures, such as Yazd, yet faces complex stakeholder dynamics. The involvement of multiple institutions in urban management and the diversity of actors linked to historical tourism complicates policymaking efforts. Numerous challenges and issues surrounding historical urban tourism, coupled with the wide array of involved stakeholders, make it difficult to effectively address and analyze the problems in this sector. This study employs the MACTOR method (Multi-Actor, Multi-Criteria Analysis) to analyze the roles of various stakeholders in the tourism of Yazd's historical context. The MACTOR method is an analytical tool in strategic management designed to address complex issues involving multiple topics and multiple stakeholders. The findings highlight that some key actors, including the provincial planning and management organization, the provincial political and security deputy, and the police force, exert the most influence among stakeholders. Meanwhile, three groups—local residents, shopkeepers, and tourism industry professionals—are identified as dual-role actors who are influential but also subject to external influences, limiting their independence. The municipality, the cultural heritage department, and tourists themselves act as regulatory intermediaries within the tourism system, balancing influence and being influenced. The study also reveals a high level of consensus among stakeholders on goals like increasing tourist numbers and enhancing security, while economic objectives show less alignment. These insights can assist policymakers in pinpointing stakeholders with shared goals and crafting effective strategies for sustainable tourism growth.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Urban tourism has increasingly become a dynamic and complex phenomenon within urban environments. While it holds significant potential for fostering economic growth and cultural exchange, the varying and often conflicting priorities of different stakeholders pose challenges to effective management. This complexity is particularly pronounced in historic districts, such as Fahadan in Yazd, where tensions arise among various institutions, including the municipality, Cultural Heritage Organization, law enforcement, and local residents. These tensions complicate tourism policy development. The pursuit of tourism in Fahadan faces obstacles related to cultural preservation and security concerns, compounded by the lack of consensus on goals among stakeholders. This study utilizes a "multi-issue, multi-actor" framework to analyze these stakeholders and assess their roles and influences on sustainable tourism development, with the objective of identifying key stakeholders and their contributions toward achieving the primary tourism goals in Fahadan.
 
Methodology
The research adopts the Multi-Actor, Multi-Issue (MAMS) framework to conduct a stakeholder analysis. This approach is grounded in the recognition that real-world challenges rarely occur in isolation and typically involve a network of actors from government, business, and local communities. The MACTOR method, introduced by Michel Godet in 1985, is employed to explore the interactions between stakeholders and their respective positions concerning key objectives. This method follows a structured six-step process, ranging from stakeholder and issue identification to power dynamics analysis and scenario forecasting. The study's sample population comprises tourism managers, scholars, business owners, local residents, foreign nationals, and tourists, all selected using diverse sampling techniques.
 
 
 
Discussion and Findings
The analysis identifies at least ten key stakeholders directly impacting the management of tourism in Yazd’s historic district. Despite differences in their roles and responsibilities, these stakeholders can influence eight primary tourism development goals. The findings reveal that three key stakeholders—namely, the Provincial Planning and Management Organization, the Political, Security, and Social Affairs Deputy of the Governor's Office, and the Police—are categorized as external or influential actors. These stakeholders exert significant influence over others but are relatively unaffected by other stakeholders. Given their authoritative and often unilateral approach, consensus-building with these actors is challenging. Consequently, prioritizing their satisfaction is essential in any tourism development initiative for the historic district.
According to the Net Influence (NS) index, the Political, Security, and Social Affairs Deputy of the Governor's Office emerges as the most influential stakeholder, exerting both direct and indirect impacts on others, with a net influence score of 41. While the Police and Provincial Planning and Management Organization also hold substantial influence, they are not as dominant as the Deputy. Conversely, foreign nationals and immigrants exhibit the least influence, with a score of -58. The Cultural Heritage Organization’s limited influence is attributed to its narrow scope of responsibilities and reliance on approvals from other entities, thereby diminishing its decision-making autonomy and reducing its role in tourism-related decisions.The stakeholder agreement analysis indicates a general convergence on key objectives, with no significant opposition among stakeholders. Goals such as increasing tourist attraction, improving district security, and enhancing resident satisfaction garner the highest levels of agreement. In contrast, economic goals like promoting entrepreneurship and job creation are less prioritized, suggesting a broader perspective on tourism that emphasizes its non-economic dimensions.
The stakeholder-objective relationship map highlights that the Municipality, local residents, and the Social Affairs Deputy are central actors with the most responsibility for achieving the outlined objectives. In contrast, tourists, the Police, and foreign nationals have weaker connections to these objectives and play a more marginal role in realizing them. This analysis suggests that efforts should focus on these central actors to achieve key goals in the tourism development of Yazd’s historic district.
 
Conclusion
The MACTOR analysis illustrates the diverse roles that governmental, private, and local actors play in shaping tourism policies and strategies. Government stakeholders, such as the Provincial Planning and Management Organization, the Political, Security, and Social Affairs Deputy, and the Police, wield the most influence over other actors, making their satisfaction a priority in tourism development plans. On the other hand, dual-role stakeholders, including local residents, business owners, and tourism sector activists, serve as key consensus-builders, facilitating coordination among stakeholders. Independent actors, such as foreign nationals and immigrants, have a minimal impact on tourism objectives. The convergence and divergence analysis shows that while there is overall agreement among stakeholders, the level of alignment varies across objectives. Goals such as increasing tourist attraction, enhancing district security, and improving resident satisfaction see the highest levels of agreement, whereas economic objectives, like boosting entrepreneurship and employment, receive less consensus. The stakeholder-objective map further indicates that the Municipality, local residents, and the Social Affairs Deputy bear the most responsibility for achieving these goals, while tourists, the Police, and foreign nationals have the least connection to the objectives.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved the content of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.