Geography and Regional Planning

Geography and Regional Planning

Site Selection and Prioritization of Tourism Areas along the Makran Coasts with an Emphasis on Sustainable Regional Development

Authors
1 PhD Student in Political Geography and Geopolitics, University of Tehran, Tehran.Iran
2 Professor and Faculty Member, Department of Political Geography and Geopolitics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/jgeoq.2026.581384.4444
Abstract
Due to its strategic location and its geo-political and ecological capacities, the Makran coasts are one of the most important regions in Iran’s development documents; however, they have not yet attained an appropriate position in the hierarchy of national and international tourism destinations. The aim of this study is to identify and locate tourism-suitable areas/points along these coasts and to prioritize them using multi-criteria decision-making models and GIS. In this descriptive–analytical research, natural–environmental, human–social, and infrastructure–economic criteria were extracted and weighted using the AHP and Shannon entropy methods. Then, using the WLC model and by integrating information layers in a GIS environment, a tourism suitability map was developed. The results showed that, in terms of tourism capacity, the Makran coasts have considerable diversity and spatial dispersion, and within the study area, 26 points were identified and assessed.Based on the prioritization results, sites such as Tanakora and Konarak Pier, Ramin Pier, the Fig Tree of the Temples, and the Toranj eco-tourism were classified among the high-priority hubs. The study also concludes that combining AHP, entropy, and GIS approaches can help more accurately identify tourism capacities and provide a scientific framework for planning and sustainable development in this region, although achieving this requires careful planning, integrated management, and attention to environmental conservation.
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