درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Purpose - Agro-tourism and the development of farm-based tourism businesses have emerged as a creative and innovative approach to rural tourism, which exploits the potentials and capabilities of agricultural activities as unique opportunities for employment and development and poverty alleviation. The purpose of this study is to identify opportunities and areas for Agro-tourism development in rural areas of Tehran Province. Design/methodology/approach - This is an applied research that adopts a descriptive-analytical approach. The statistical population of the study consisted of the rural areas of Tehran Province, of which 8 towns and three villages from each town were selected as the sample. Data collection was conducted using both library and field survey methods; however, the main focus of the research was on field studies, which involved a questionnaire and face-to-face interviews. The questionnaires were prepared for three groups of villagers, tourists, and officials separately. The sample size for villagers was determined using Cochran formula (n=261). Also, since the exact number of tourists and officials was not known, the sample size of these two groups was selected using purposive method (n=31 and n=20, respectively). Data were analyzed using descriptive (mean and frequency) and inferential statistical methods (Chi-square test, one-sample t-test and Mann-Whitney test). Findings- The results suggest that government support and infrastructure improvement, the organization of local festivals related to farm products, the participation of tourists in harvesting, the direct presence of tourists in farming, job creation, and promotion of rural income levels are the most factors that influence Agro-tourism development in rural areas of Tehran Province. According to the results, showed all respondents agreed on the positive impact of the studied measures on Agro-tourism development.

Since 1950s, Iran and Saudi Arabia have considered each other as a rival and competition between two countries includes a wide range of issues. This field of competition along with a number of material and spiritual factors has caused conflicts in the relations of Tehran-Riyadh. Owing to this fact, a series of perceptions have occupied their minds which can be called a discourse. The discourse consisted of a set of factors such as religion, ethnicity and the nature of the political system. This research seeks to study the role and position of culture in advent of conflicts in Iran and Saudi Arabia’s relations. The methodology of the article is based on data analysis and content analysis. The results of the research indicate that the dualization of Arab/Ajam, Shiite-Sunni antagonism, and the conservative/ revolutionary approaches are the cultural foundations of conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia. These findings show that an increase in cultural interactions, especially through non-governmental organizations and informal channels can reform perceptions and decrease tensions. Iran and Saudi Arabia can improve relations through emphasis on common grounds e.g. common beliefs, common interests in confrontation terrorism and stability in region.