Hooman Bahmanpour, Naser Moharamnejad , Hassan-Ali Laghai
The study aimed at identifying and determining the importance of Abr mountain forest potential and environmental attractions effective in ecotourism development from the users’s viewpoint. This study is descriptive and analytical type carried out in two parts. In the first part, basic information on tourism status quo as well as environmental status of study area was collected. Then the list of environmental attractions and natural potential was drawn. In the next step, land use map and its natural attractions distribution map was prepared through GIS and Index Overlaying. The information layers have been prepared by means of ArcGIS software version 9.2. In the second part, a self administered questionnaire involving 20 questions was designed based on Likert questionnaire. The questionnaire reliability was examined by a pilot study through which 25 questionnaires were administered on a sample resembling original population. The reliability was measured by Cronbakh alpha – 95%. The statistical population involved tourism activity users either local or non-local in Shahrood County. The sample, making 373, was determined by Conchran Formula. The sampling was done randomly. Survey results indicate that from users’ point of view natural factors are the most important in tourism development in Abr mountain forest respectively involving the mountains, mountain forest, forest, and the wildlife. Natural attractions involving more excitement, physical motion, and adventure were given more score by the users.
