spatial analysis of sustainable rural tourism pattern using geographic information system (case study: kuhrang region, in the west of iran)

Purpose: one crucial development planning for tourism is the spatial distribution pattern which can draw up a plan for rural development within a uniform framework. this study aims to analyze the tourism indicators in rural areas and determine their spatial distribution pattern in the kuhrang region of chaharmahal and bakhtiari province.methods: the study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. the survey data is quantitative using a questionnaire. the statistical population of this research includes 2628 people in tourism villages. three hundred thirty-five people were selected as the sample size based on the cochran formula. spss and arcgis software was used for data analysis, and moran’s i was employed in arcgis software for spatial distribution pattern analysis.results: the results showed that rural areas have attraction diversity and capacity for tourism development; however, economic, social, and environmental indicators have unfavorable status. also, the results showed that rural areas have a dispersed spatial pattern only for the tourism current status indicators, followed by moran’s i (-0.94), and regarding other indicators, namely, tourism potential, attraction diversity, foresight, indicators of social, economic, and environmental tourism have a random pattern.conclusion: considering the appropriate attraction diversity for tourism development, the spatial distribution pattern of rural areas in terms of tourism indicators is unacceptable as it does not follow a regular, planned, and uniform pattern. therefore, an acceptable framework should be provided for creating an appropriate spatial distribution pattern for tourism development (clustered pattern).