Tourism entrepreneurship and quality of life in peri-urban settlements of Shahrood

Study of the role of tourism entrepreneurship on the quality of life in rural suburban settlements of Shahroud Township
Abstract
An important part of the economic activities of the village is related to tourism and entrepreneurship in this field, by improving the socio-economic development of villages, it improves the quality of life. The present study was conducted to study the role of tourism entrepreneurship on the quality of life in suburban settlements of Shahroud and also to analyze the effects of tourism entrepreneurship on the sustainable development of these settlements. The unit of analysis was the heads of households in rural areas of Shahroud in which 373 households were selected as a sample. The questionnaire was provided to the statistical population as a research tool in the form of available sampling. Data analysis was done by using t-test, chi-square and WASPAS technique. The output of the t-test confirms the significance of the dimensions and indicators, and the indicators of environmental quality (11/946) and education quality (11/252) are significantly more suitable. The result of data analysis using the chi-square test showed that the item of increasing job diversity with an average of (4.27) from the economic component, the item of making annual trips with an average of (4.22) from the social-cultural component, the item of using Durable and resistant construction materials with an average of (4.25) from the physical-spatial component and the issue of not establishing residential units in high-risk areas such as the edge of rivers with an average of (3.69) from the environmental component had the greatest impact in improving the quality of life of the villagers in the region.
Keywords: entrepreneurship, quality of life, T-TEST, WASPAS technique, Chi-square test
Introduction
Many of the costs and unfortunate consequences that pervade society and are referred to as socio-economic problems and has caused social disorders and anxiety in various forms, especially insecurity and behavioral disorders, as well as phenomena such as the uncontrolled growth of migration, increasing the rate of marginalization around metropolitan areas and many other problems; It is the result of ignoring the share of the village and the villagers in the development process. Rural development policymakers believe that tourism can be used as a tool to revitalize rural areas by organizing and revitalizing local economic activities, improving the quality of life, and contributing to social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Improving the quality of life in rural communities is the ultimate goal of rural development programs and projects. The main precondition for achieving this important issue is to provide suitable living conditions that can improve the quality of life in rural communities. One of the components that play an important role in improving the quality of life is tourism. Tourism development provides the basis for increasing competitiveness in rural areas by making proper use of tourist attractions (local natural and cultural resources), enhancing spatial value, improving quality of life, creating added value, facilitating market access for small producers through collective action and the unification of the use of technology to produce and provide services. The background for the emergence of sustainable tourism development in rural areas is the development of entrepreneurship. Rural tourism entrepreneurship approach has several positive effects on the quality of life of villagers through job creation, increasing incomes, increasing savings and proper use of resources (natural, human and capital) of the village an example of this statement can be seen in the villages of Shahroud Township. The villages of Shahroud Township are one of the most important centers of rural tourism entrepreneurship in Semnan province therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of identifying and prioritizing the factors affecting tourism entrepreneurship in improving the quality of life of rural people in this region.
Research methodology
The unit of analysis in this study was the heads of households in the rural areas of Shahroud Township based on the 2016 population and housing census, which according to the Cochran's formula, 13401 households from 7 rural areas were obtained as a research sample. Based on the number of households in each village and by stratified sampling method, the number of samples in each rural area was calculated. Delphi technique was used to determine the research indicators. The members of the Delphi panel were selected by random sampling and a combination of targeted methods and snowballs, 15 experts on village issues and familiar with the area. In the last stage, the final questionnaire, which was developed as a data collection tool, was sent to experts in rural planning to confirm the validity, and after modifications, the validity of the questionnaire was confirmed. The reliability of the questionnaire was obtained by Cronbach's alpha method. Data analysis was performed using t-test statistical method in SPSS software and WASPAS technique.
Discussion and conclusion
In order to analyze and determine the effectiveness of the items that make up the economic, social-cultural, physical-spatial and environmental components, chi-square statistic was used. Among the items of economic factors in the studied area, the item of increasing job diversity has had the greatest impact in improving the quality of life of the villagers with an average of (4.27). Among the items of socio-cultural factors in the study area, annual travel with an average of (4.22) has played the greatest role in improving the quality of life of the villagers in the area. Leisure time is a source for improving people's quality of life.
Result
According to the knowledge gained from the rural community under study, improving the quality of life of villagers is possible through rural tourism entrepreneurship in the region and paying attention to motivational factors and creating relative satisfaction in life. To create an environment for the social life of the villagers in which there is more security and peace and villagers in their interactive relationships with others to meet their needs with the least friction and as the economy becomes more dynamic, they will achieve a happier society and a better quality of life.