Journal of Geographical Studies of Mountainous Areas

Journal of Geographical Studies of Mountainous Areas

Hunting Tourism and Its Impact on Rural Economy in Mountainous Regions: A Case Study : the Jashlubar Private Hunting Reserve in Mahdishahr County, Semnan Province

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Faramarz Barimani
Naser Aligholizadeh Firouz jaei
Mehdi Haji rahimi
Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.
10.22034/gsma.2025.2051661.1054
Abstract
1. Introduction

 

In the past half-century, leisure and how to spend one's time have gained significant importance. Some of the main reasons for this include reduced working hours per day or week, increased individual welfare, lower costs and faster travel, the rise in the number of tourist destinations, and the impact of advanced technology.  Consequently, tourism has also taken on various forms, with ecotourism being one example. The primary criterion of ecotourism is that it is nature-based. In other words, ecotourism, theoretically, should cause less harm to its resources compared to other types of tourism. Therefore, ecotourism is inherently
considered a form of sustainable tourism. However, hunting tourism, which is also nature-based and falls within the spectrum of ecotourism, can also serve as a tool for income generation and improving the livelihoods of rural communities This success is largely the result of privatization and private sector involvement. Fortunately, this experience has also been implemented in Iran in recent years. One example is the Jablushar private reserve in Mahdishahr, Semnan province, which, due to its diverse wildlife species, has become a destination for both domestic and foreign hunters

 
2.Methodology
This research is applied in terms of its objective and descriptive-analytical in nature, using a survey method for data collection. The statistical population of this study includes four groups:
•Experts from the Department of Environment
•Experts from the Department of Tourism and Cultural Heritage
•Members of the Abadgaran Eqlim Jashlubar cooperative
•The local community of the studied for the sample, 15 environmental experts were selected using the snowball sampling method, 25 members of the cooperative, and 13 individuals from the local community were chosen using a convenient sampling method. To measure internal validity, the literature review and feedback from the supervisors and advisors were used in the questionnaire. Additionally, for assessing the reliability of the questionnaire, Cronbach's Alpha test was employed, and its value was calculated to be greater than 0.876. For data analysis, the Friedman test and one-sample t-test were applied. In this paper, only the economic dimension was assessed in three indicators—investment, employment, and income—using 8 statements, based on a five-point Likert scale.
3. Results
Of the respondents, 79% of the total sample were male, and 20.8% were female, with a higher proportion of men than women. About 83% of the respondents were in the age group between 30 and 60 years. In terms of occupation, approximately 72% of the respondents were members of the Abadgaran Eqlim Jashlubar cooperative and the local community. Among the influencing components, the economic component with 8 indicators was examined. The results of the study show that, overall, the economic average of 3/43 is higher than the theoretical median (3), indicating a favorable situation. In other words, both experts and the local community have a positive view of the economic role of hunting tourism.
 
4. Discussion
Hunting tourism is considered a form of wildlife tourism and could serve as an alternative in the future to help sustain rural communities through investment, job creation, and income generation in the study area. The results of this research also showed that respondents, mainly experts and cooperative members, believe that with the growth of this activity, the economic development of the local community, with an overall average of 3.43, will be above the average level at a 95% confidence level
 
5. Conclusion
These findings align with the studies of others Markovic et al. (2012), Goeldner & Ritchie (2013), and Brainerd (2007) considered hunting tourism as a tool for income generation. Furthermore, the research of Kalvelage, L., Revilla Diez & Bollig (2023), Matilainen et al. (2016), Lindsey et al. (2006), Adhikari et al. (2021), and even Mbaiwa (2017) demonstrated that the ban on safari hunting in Botswana led to a reduction in economic and social benefits for local communities.
Although some studies, such as those by Tickle & von Essen (2020) and Winter (2020), have emphasized the ethical aspect and expressed their concerns, the findings of this research are consistent with these broader perspectives on the economic impact of hunting tourism.
Author Contributions
In the preparation and writing of this article, all author has contributed equally and jointly. All stages of the research, from study design and data collection to analysis of results and final writing of the article, are the result of collaboration and collective agreement of all authors.
 
Data Availability Statement
Data available on request from the authors
 
Acknowledgments
We sincerely acknowledge all those who have supported us in this research, especially the experts, members of the Abadgaran Eqlim Jashlubar cooperative, and the local community
 
Ethical Considerations
All authors affirm that this research was conducted in accordance with ethical standards, with no data fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism.
 
Funding
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
 
Conflict of Interest
The author declares no conflict of interes
Keywords
Wildlife tourism
hunting tourism
private reserves
Jashlubar
mehdishar
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Journal of Geographical Studies of Mountainous Areas
Volume 6, Issue 3 - Serial Number 23
Autumn
Summer 2025
Pages 153-166