Evaluating Factors Influencing the Attraction of Tourists to Coastal Parks The Case Study of Bashar River Beach Park in Yasuj City

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Geography and Tourism, Faculty of Natural Resources and Earth Sciences, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran

2 Department of Geography, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

Abstract

A B S T R A C T
Parks and urban green spaces have important characteristics that contribute to people's health, creating a context for social activities and collective memory and increasing the spirit of solidarity for all tourists and citizens. As a result, identifying and analyzing factors affecting the attraction of tourists to urban tourist attractions can be used to examine the needs of tourists for the successful management of urban parks and resorts; in this research, the factors influencing the attraction of tourists to urban tourism phenomena have been identified and analyzed in the case of Yasouj Beach Park. The descriptive-analytical research method and research data were collected using a questionnaire tool. The research sample size of tourists and citizens entering the beach park in Yasouj city was calculated using SAMPLE POWER software to the number of 200 people, and statistical analysis, SPSS and AMOS software programs was exerted for analysis. The results show that the social factor has the highest factor load, with a weight of 0.97 in the first place. The attractiveness factor of the natural environment is ranked second with a factor load of 0.91. Factors of internal facilities with a weight of 0.57, environmental quality with a weight of 0.56, loyalty and economy jointly with a factor load of 0.49 and access and transportation factor with a weight of 0.39 are placed in the following ranks. Also, from the point of view of tourists, the essential characteristics of the beach park are the cleanliness of the weather, satisfaction with the natural environment, peace of the environment, fun and happiness of the environment, and the dissatisfaction of the tourists with the easy access to drinking water, the lack of parking services and the average level of suitable sports facilities.
 
 
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Urban tourism is considered a significant factor in the development of cities, and its wise development and management require planning based on the wishes of tourists. In recent years, city parks have become the main tourist entertainment center. On the other hand, urban green spaces play a key role in improving the environmental quality, livability and sustainability of cities. Based on this, among the types of green spaces, linear green spaces are usually formed along a natural factor (sea, river, etc.) in a longitudinal or strip form with public use, and the creation of coastal parks in addition to establishing a relationship between human and nature, it can act in the direction of preserving natural resources and preventing the destruction of the ecological potential of the region. Parks are one of the public spaces that are very important according to the research topic. Parks are significant in human life, and it should be noted that urban parks, as one of the types of urban spaces, play an essential role in creating (recreational) opportunities and functions for urban populations. In the meantime, Iran is a vast country with an ancient history and civilization, which has many attractive natural and human attractions that are suitable for tourism. Yasouj has major natural tourism resources due to its climatic and geographical diversity. Natural environments provide many attractions for the development of the tourism industry. In the meantime, Yasouj Beach Park is located on Bashar River, which is at the entrance of Yasouj. By examining the effective dimensions of attracting tourists to Yasouj Beach Park, city managers and policymakers will be given the opportunity to improve the ecological, recreational and environmental aspects of the city by strengthening the effective components of tourism development. Therefore, the purpose of the current research is to investigate the state of Yasouj beach park in terms of attracting tourists and citizens.
 
 Methodology
The current research method is descriptive-
analytical. The method of data collection was done by using survey research and questionnaire tools and distributing it randomly among the tourists who visited the beach park of Yasouj city so that the resources and information required in the literature section of the research have been done through library studies and research background. To analyze the data, sample t-test and structural equation modeling were used in SPSS and AMOS software environments. Based on the subject of the research and the type of questions, Sample Power software was used to estimate the sample size and 200 people were studied as a study sample.
 
 Results and discussion
Urban planners and designers are trying to build places that are effective in attracting tourists and citizens, according to the environmental capabilities of cities, and one of these places is urban parks and promenades. The creation of urban parks is one of the important urban users, urban green spaces; the lack of green spaces in cities is unimaginable today because the health of urban people and related issues can provide suitable conditions for citizens and tourists. The current research is in line with the research of Adiyati et al. (2018) because the results of the research showed that the access variable (parking space available, connected to the main route and public transportation available). On the other hand, the results of the research findings of Zainali et al. (2013) are in line with the current research because, in that article, the dimensions of the tourism product, including attraction, accessibility, and facilities, have been directly and significantly satisfied by tourists. Also, the research of Ravanbakhsh and Mirabadi (2017) overlaps with the results of the current research, in which it was determined that the coastal park space of Yasouj has a significant and almost equal role and contribution to sociability. Finally, this research is in line with Sarwar and Asghari's article (2021) because, in that article, social factors, especially social interactions, play the greatest role in the vitality and happiness of Miandoab citizens in Park Ata.
 
Conclusion
Descriptive results showed that according to tourists, the most important feature of Yasouj Beach Park is the cleanliness of the weather (absence of air pollution). If the tourists know about the suitable green space, the calmness of the environment, the beautiful landscape, and the fun and happiness of the beach park environment, it is suitable. The set mentioned above of conditions has resulted in the loyalty of tourists. The willingness to introduce and visit the beach park to family and friends has been another sign of tourists' loyalty. Also, the inferential results showed that the attractiveness of the natural environment of the coastal park was high because it evokes the feeling of being in nature, and this association is one of the characteristics of the natural environment of the coastal park, which was built by the Bashar Yasouj river. Other factors affecting the attraction of tourists, including internal facilities, environmental quality, access and transportation to the beach park, were evaluated. The interpretation of the results of the structural model of the research regarding the identification and prioritization of indicators effective in attracting tourists in the beach park indicates that among the indicators effective in attracting tourists, the social factor has the highest factor load with a weight of 0.97 in the first place. On the other hand, the second most important factor in attracting tourists to the beach park is the attractiveness of the natural environment, with a factor loading of 0.91. Also, internal facilities with a factor loading of 0.57, environmental quality with a factor loading of 0.56, loyalty and economy jointly with a factor loading of 0.49, and the factor of access and transportation with a factor loading of 0.39 are ranked next.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
All of the authors approved the content of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.
 

Keywords

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urban tourism
Volume 10, Issue 4
February 2024
Pages 55-74

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