تالاب هلله

This paper is focused on rural ecotourism development goal through evaluation of current condition of tourism in Helleh Wetland Protected Area (a region located in the south of Iran with an area of 48,940 ha). To plan and implement this, different management and decision making tools were utilized such as interviews, questionnaire surveys, and SWOT analysis. A series of interviews was conducted so as to recognize actions taken by governmental bodies responsible (e.g., Department of Environment). Furthermore, the visitors of the wetland were surveyed to evaluate the rate of fulfilment of sustainable tourism development in the wetland. Local residents were also taken into account by using a survey to reveal the problems and the attractions of the wetland. Results showed that the existing tourism activities in the wetland did not conform to sustainability requirements. Hence, a SWOT analysis was conducted to identify the required management strategies to enhance the tourism in the wetland and consequently promote socio-economic development of the community.