Nasrollah Fallahtabar - Associate Professor of Geography Group, Azad Islamic University, Yadegar-e Imam Khomeini (May God be pleased with him) Branch, Shahre-e Rey, Tehran –Iran

Nowadays, governments pay a special attention to tourism industry and with special measures and policies, they attempt to develop and expand it, as this industry both brings foreign currency and positively effects  on the economic growth and economic boom. In our country, however there was much less attention to the cities and villages which attracted millions of visitors and their role and position in tourism are rarely addressed. In fact, the role of tourism is neglected and or it is less utilized in planning, especially in urban and rural planning. This is while tourism is the most extensive service industry which, not in the far future and faster than before, is capacitated to emerge for increasing the level of public culture, making peace, dialogue of civilizations, understanding, friendship and amity in an international level  as a pioneer of or equal to other industries, including oil industry. The Islamic Iran, with all the historical, religious and natural monuments has considerable capabilities which should be thoughtfully utilized in the best way. Although Iran has hosted about ۳,۲۰۰,۰۰۰ foreign tourists in ۲۰۱۱ and then has hosted ۵,۲۵۰,۰۰۰ foreign tourists in ۲۰۱۶, however, we are still at the beginning of the road for development of this industry. Kashan city also has many precious sites of cultural heritage, which are unique in Iranian cities and in the world and in terms of tourism, especially religious, pilgrimage and historical tourism and considering  its ancient urban fabric, has the potential to attract many tourists from Iran and around the world, in a way that this city hosted ۳۶۹,۴۴۶ domestic tourists and ۵,۰۱۰ foreign tourists in the Nowouz  of ۲۰۱۷.  On the other hand ۲۲۱,۷۳۹ people of the total tourists during that period have visited Kashan’s Fin garden, of which ۲۱۹,۹۳۰ of them were domestic tourists and ۱,۸۰۹ of them were foreign tourists. Therefore, concerned authorities should apply necessary and essential approaches, so that this efficient and profitable industry provides the grounds for job creation especially for youths and bring sustainable tourism development for the ancient city of Kashan and to set high prospects for the future of this city.

The Role and Position of Kashan, tourism attractions, Sustainable Tourism Development, Future Prospects