The Effective Spatial Qualities on Urban Tourism in Iran Focusing on Social Factors

Abstract

Considering the increasing challenges of the current cities, the urban tourism has been proposed as a solution for solving or minimizing different problems. Including economic, social and environmental aspects, this approach can lead to the fulfillment of sustainable development theory. Accordingly, there is no doubt about the successful results of the urban tourism development and all urban managers and authorities agree on this point. Meanwhile, what threatens the success of the urban tourism development plans is to ignore the all effective factors that make effect on the quality of travel experience. In their best, the cities are projected in their public spaces, and any tourist spent a considerable part of his travel in such spaces. Thus the quality of urban spaces is an important factor on the successfulness of urban tourism development plans and hence their environmental desirability must be studied and evaluated more precise under a comprehensive approach. The main objective of this research is to answer the main question of how the effective spatial qualities on tourism are explain with regard to the social factors. Since the man and his activities are the base of the urban studies, this article uses an urban-strategic approach based on the descriptive-analytical method using library resources to study the social factors that are effective on the qualities of urban spaces. The analytical model of the research will be presented based on the theoretical studies. The results show that some qualities such as flexibility, functional diversity, physical diversity, vegetation, safety, lightening, landscape attractiveness, identity, and memorability in relation to the urban space, and social and arbitrary activities based on Gehl theory can make effect as the complementary factors of the urban tourism attraction and make effect on social factors such as vitality, sense of security, arbitrary activity, social activity and tourists sense of peace. Emphasizing on the social exchange theory, such factors can pave the way for the sustainability of urban tourism industry. The results of this research can be used in identifying and reinforcing the spatial qualities relating to the social factors that are effective on tourism in Iran. Consequently, they can be useful in the tourism development. The essential value of this article is its simultaneous focus on both spatial qualities (physical dimension) and social factors (human dimension) in relation to the tourism development. In this regard, the unidimensional attitude is rejected and the adaptation of a holistic approach to the urban tourism is highlighted.