Introduction: Nature-based tourism is a branch of tourism that plays an important role in the global economy and in achieving sustainable development. Coastal areas are among the most attractive regions for nature tourism activities. To ensure sustainable development of nature tourism, especially in sensitive areas such as coastlines and to prevent degradation of the intrinsic values of these zones, ecological capability assessment is essential. Various methods exist for land capability assessment. Multi-criteria evaluation is one of the practical methods used for assessing land capability for different uses based on effective criteria. In this method, the importance of the criteria is determined using techniques such as the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and due to the diversity of these criteria, standardization methods such as fuzzy logic are applied. This approach can be implemented within Geographic Information Systems (GIS), where criteria are combined using models like Weighted Linear Combination (WLC). The Makran coasts, with their ecological values and unique attractions, have high tourism potential and require precise planning and a localized ecological capability assessment model.
Material and Methods: In this study, multi-criteria evaluation was used to assess the ecological capability of the land for nature tourism. The evaluation criteria were determined based on expert opinion. Six criteria were weighted using AHP and standardized with a fuzzy method. Study constraints were standardized using Boolean logic. Maps of soil characteristics, vegetation cover, water resources, and mangrove forests were generated through satellite image analysis. Other maps were obtained from available sources. The standardized and weighted layers were integrated using the WLC method, and an ecological capability model of the Makran coastal lands was developed and classified into five categories.
Results: The land use and land cover map of the Makran region was produced with a Kappa accuracy of 0.86 and an overall accuracy of 90%. The results indicated that agricultural lands, particularly farms in the west and around the Bahukalat River in the east, are important tourism attractions. The area analysis showed that barren lands occupied the largest share (78%), followed by salt marshes (17%). The ecological capability model for tourism was designed using climatic, habitat, environmental sensitivity, natural attraction, socio-economic, and topographic factors, with weights assigned using AHP. The ecological capability map indicated that the coastline, the Chabahar Free Zone, and historical villages were classified as high to very high tourism potential, covering areas of 15,436 and 16,322 hectares, respectively. In contrast, the central and northern parts of the region, due to environmental constraints and lack of infrastructure, fell into low to moderate potential categories and occupied the majority of the area.
Discussion: The assessment of tourism potential along the Makran coasts shows that the highest weight was assigned to socio-economic factors, indicating the critical role of tourism infrastructure, road accessibility, and historical attractions in attracting tourists. Natural scenic areas, especially those close to water bodies and with striking vegetation, play a significant role in enhancing tourist experiences. The region’s moderate climate, particularly the monsoon phenomenon, supports seasonal tourism, and natural habitats such as wetlands and mangrove forests offer unique eco-based attractions. Environmental sensitivities must be observed to ensure sustainable tourism development. The zoning results reveal that only a small portion of the area has very high tourism potential, mainly including Chabahar’s coasts, mangrove forests, mud volcanoes, and historical villages, while central areas and those far from infrastructure have lower potential. Findings emphasize that development strategies should prioritize conservation and sustainable use of high-potential zones while improving the capacity of areas with medium and low potential.