Investment in Tourism; A Solution for Rural Development: A Case Study of Azadegan Village, Ben County of Iran

Sustainable management and exploitation of natural and semi-natural ecosystems require adequate information about the economic values of ecosystem services. This study aimed at estimating the value of tourism on the margin of Zayandehrood river in the area of Azadegan village of Ben County in Iran as well as studying the role of tourism in the development of this village. For this purpose, the economic value was estimated in contingent valuation method (CVM) using the general preferences approach and the logit model. The required data were collected by completing 554 double-duplex selection questionnaires in the studied village in 2017. The study results showed that the variables of age, education and income of respondents had significantly positive effects and the variables of household size and the proposed amounts of money (BID) had significantly negative effects on willingness to pay (WTP). Also, each person's WTP was estimated 8490 IR rials per month and the total value of tourism on the margin of the river was estimated to be 6,888 million IR rials. Therefore, policies for investment in rural development might be taken with due consideration to this valuable endowment.