Second-home Tourism and its role in rural development-views of the host communities: the case of Noshahr, Nur, Mohamoudabad villages in Iran

ABSTRACT: This study tried to evaluate the effects of second home phenomena in North of Iran. The northern part of Iran has been an attractive location for the tourists from the rest of the country due to its unique spatial characteristics environmentally, socioculturally, and accessibility. The area is endowed with natural comparative advantages for its lush and green landscape, as well as, sun, sea and sand tourism along the Caspian Sea coastal zones. Rural areas in North of Iran, namely Mazandaran Province, serve as the study setting considering the high growth of second home phenomena and village tourism in these areas. Due to population growth and proximity of capital city, North of Iran is under pressure from the daily visitors, weekend travelers and the influx of second home owners. The rapid growth of second home owners in this region has been intensified in the past decade as developers and Real Estate companies have infiltrated the region for quick profit from construction boom. The study has applied a quantitative research through a survey questionnaire to assess the environmental, social, cultural and economic impact of second home phenomena in Noshahr villages of this region as a case study. The respondents are the local people who have the local knowledge and can provide useful insight into this particular tourism. The study assumes that an uncontrolled and unplanned second home development in this region can be potentially detrimental to the ecological and cultural uniqueness of these areas. Keywords: Second home; Rural development; Second-holiday home impact; Caspian Sea region; Village tourism; Iran. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………