A B S T R A C T
The development of the tourism industry is crucial, particularly in developing countries that face numerous challenges, such as reliance on a single-product economy and high levels of unemployment. Isfahan province, with a history spanning several millennia, is distinguished by its unique historical, natural, cultural, and religious attractions, ranking among Iran’s premier tourist destinations. This study aims to assess the potential for developing the tourism industry in Isfahan province. This study is applied in terms of its objectives and descriptive-analytical in terms of its nature and methodology. To evaluate the desirability of tourism development, the Fuzzy-ANP technique and ARC GIS-Super Decision software were employed. The findings reveal that the concentration of natural and historical attractions along the central axis (Isfahan city), northern axis (Kashan and Natanz counties), and western axis (Freydonshahr county) of the province correlates with the highest levels of infrastructure services and welfare centers, with a particularly strong concentration around Isfahan city. As a result, the central and northern axes of Isfahan province exhibit significant potential for tourism development, whereas the eastern and southern axes, characterized by desert conditions and limited access to infrastructure services, remain underdeveloped in terms of tourism potential. Overall, the greatest potential for tourism development is found in the central regions surrounding Isfahan and Mobarakeh, the northern axis centered around Kashan, the western axis centered on Fereydounshahr, and the southern axis centered on Semirom.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Isfahan province possesses unique potential for tourism development, owing to its strategic location and rich natural, historical, and cultural assets. As a result, the province, with both its untapped and existing tourism capacities, along with essential resources such as scenic natural landscapes and significant cultural and historical value, has substantial potential to enhance tourism development, attract visitors, and stimulate investment. The greater the attention paid to these resources and capabilities, the more significant the province's active presence will be in both regional and international tourism markets. Thus, this study aims to analyze and assess the tourism development potential of Isfahan province using the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) technique.
 
Methodology
This study employs a descriptive-analytical methodology and has an applied focus due to the relevance of its findings for regional planning. Documentary analysis and the Delphi method were employed to develop the indicators for tourism development potential. The number of experts participating in the Delphi process typically ranges from 15 to 20, with 20 selected experts and managers from the city chosen for this study based on the outlined criteria. To conduct the research, the distances for all indicators were initially defined using the Distance function in ArcGIS software. Next, fuzzy logic was applied to standardize the indicators on a continuous desirability scale ranging from 0 to 1. Fuzzy membership scores in the ARCPY programming environment were defined as increasing and decreasing functions. In the second stage, the Analytic Network Process (ANP) technique was employed in the Super Decision software to assess the relative importance of the indicators for identifying the desired tourism zones. After determining the weights of the indicators, each weight was applied to the fuzzy membership function map. Subsequently, using a linear fuzzy function, the maps from the previous stage were normalized, ensuring that the values ranged between zero and one. Finally, the Fuzzy Overlay function was applied to overlap the normalized layers based on the sum function, and the final zoning map of tourism development desirability in Isfahan province was generated.
 
Results and discussion
The results of this study indicate that the indices for historical monuments, dams and lakes, rivers, and waterfalls—assigned weights of 0.095, 0.090, 0.085, and 0.081, respectively—have the greatest influence on the tourism potential of a location or geographic area. In terms of natural tourism potential, the cities of Isfahan, Kashan, Semirom, and Fereydounshahr possess the highest concentration of natural attractions. Specifically, the western and southern axes of Isfahan province, centered on the cities of Fereydounshahr and Semirom, serve as the primary hubs for the province’s natural environmental potential. Regarding infrastructure and substructure capacities, the cities of Isfahan, Falavarjan, Natanz, and Kashan offer the highest levels of access and infrastructure development. In terms of service and welfare capacities, the central axis of the province—particularly the city of Isfahan and the cities along the western axis—boasts more service and welfare attractions, along with a more efficient access pattern, compared to the eastern and southern axes of the province. Regarding human and historical potential, the central axis of the province, centered on the city of Isfahan, the northern axis centered on Natanz and Kashan, and the western axis centered on Fereydounshahr, houses the greatest concentration of human and historical attractions.
 
Conclusion
The preliminary analysis of the spatial distribution pattern of the research indicators revealed that the western and southern axes of Isfahan province, centered around the cities of Fereydounshahr and Semirom, serve as the primary hubs for the concentration of natural environmental resources. Isfahan city stands as the focal point for infrastructure and service-welfare capabilities, while the highest concentration of human and historical attractions is found along the central axis centered on Isfahan, the northern axis centered on Natanz and Kashan, and the western axis centered on Fereydounshahr. Furthermore, the highest level of tourism development desirability is associated with the central axis of the province, centered on the cities of Isfahan and Mobarakeh, the northern axis centered on the city of Kashan, the western axis centered on Fereydounshahr, and the southern axis centered on Semirom.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved the content of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
 We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.