An Analytic Framework for Assessing the Sustainability of the Tourism Sector in Iran with Emphasis on Carrying Capacity

Iran is a country with fragile arid ecosystems and lack of water, so every type of development, such as tourism, should be cautiously planned in order not to pass the border of ecosystem thresholds. In this research, using the causal framework of the DPSIR, the main causes and consequences of the high number of domestic tourism in Iran are examined and the responses to minimize the negative aspects of domestic tourism are proposed addressing different parts of the DPSIR model. Strategies such as managing the population structure and dispersion in order to reduce urbanization rate in Iran along with empowering rural areas are ultimate but long term solutions. Also, decentralized and community-based tourism management can be a good solution for a better governance of tourism sector in Iran. Moving toward more sustainable forms of tourism instead of mass tourism especially in sensitive and protected areas and also putting limits to the number of tourists that are permitted to visit a site are midterm and short term strategies that can help the tourism sector in Iran move toward sustainability.