Geography

Geography

Analysis of Developmental and Transit Capacities of Makran Coasts for Sustainable Tourism Development

Document Type : Article extracted From phd dissertation

Authors
Alireza Kalantari 1
Hamidreza Mohammadi 2
Rebaz Ghorbaninejad 3
Mohammadhasan Nami 4
1 Ph.d student of Department of Geography, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Human Geography and resarch, Shahid Beheshti University, .Tehran, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad .University,Tehran,Iran
4 Associate Professor, Department of National Security, Farabi University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/jiga.2025.2059968.1407
Abstract
Extended Abstract
Introduction
The Makran Coasts, located in southeastern Iran along the shores of the Oman Sea and the Indian Ocean, represent one of the country’s most strategically significant regions. Spanning over 1,000 kilometers across the provinces of Sistan and Baluchestan and Hormozgan, this area holds immense potential for sustainable tourism development, extending beyond cultural and social dimensions to encompass economic, transit, financial, and international aspects. This research aims to provide a comprehensive strategic analysis of the developmental and transit capacities of the Makran Coasts, exploring how these capacities can be harnessed to foster sustainable tourism as a pivotal driver for national economic diversification and regional empowerment. The study’s multidimensional approach integrates cultural heritage (notably Baluchi traditions), community empowerment, economic opportunities (such as tourism industries and the blue economy), transit potential (as a gateway to the International North-South Transport Corridor - INSTC), financial mechanisms (attracting foreign investment and project bonds), and international cooperation (partnerships with India and Central Asian countries).
 
Methodology
The research methodology employs a descriptive-analytical framework, combining qualitative and quantitative content analysis of an extensive dataset comprising library resources, official documents, field reports, and articles from the Geography Quarterly. The statistical population includes over 300 relevant documents and articles, with purposive sampling applied to select internal articles, official documents, and field reports. Data collection tools include qualitative coding using MAXQDA software, SWOT analysis, and quantitative models such as the equation E=T×M×F(where Erepresents employment, Tdenotes tourists, Mis the local multiplier, and Fis the transit multiplier) to estimate economic impacts. The model projects the creation of 50,000 jobs based on an influx of 1.5 million tourists. Findings indicate that leveraging the developmental capacities of Makran with a focus on sustainable tourism could increase Iran’s national GDP by 5 to 7 percent. However, significant barriers such as fragmented governance, lack of coordinated transit policies, and institutional disarray pose substantial challenges. The primary hypothesis of the study, which posits that “the absence of a multidimensional integrated governance system is the root cause of hindered sustainable tourism development in Makran,” has been substantiated through the analysis.
 
Results and Discussion
The Makran Coasts boast a unique geopolitical position in the Indo-Pacific region, coupled with unparalleled natural attractions (including mangrove forests, coral beaches, and Martian mountains) and a rich cultural heritage (Baluchi embroidery, traditional music, and historical fortresses). These assets position the region as a potential hub for sustainable tourism. Nevertheless, Iran’s traditional development focus on the Persian Gulf and oil-centric industries has marginalized Makran, resulting in socioeconomic vulnerabilities such as a 25 percent unemployment rate—the highest in the country—extensive ethnic migration, threats to cultural heritage due to climate change, and underutilization of transit corridors like INSTC. The study highlights a critical mismatch between Makran’s multidimensional capacities and the low level of realized sustainable tourism, attributing this discrepancy to governance failures that have led to resource wastage (e.g., the inability to attract 1.5 million potential annual tourists as per 2023 tourism statistics) and weakened national identity.
From a theoretical perspective, the research draws on several frameworks, including Sustainable Tourism Theory promoted by the UNWTO, which emphasizes a balance across economic, socio-cultural, and environmental sustainability pillars. This balance is crucial for a region like Makran, with its fragile ecosystems and rich cultural tapestry. Additionally, the Destination Competitiveness Model by Crouch and Ritchie underscores that a destination’s success hinges not only on core resources and attractors but also on supporting factors (infrastructure and human resources) and effective destination management (policy-making and branding). Makran excels in core resources but lags in management and support systems. Theories of Integrated Governance and Stakeholder Theory further inform the analysis, identifying coordination failures and the need for active stakeholder engagement as central issues in Makran’s development trajectory.
The study’s innovation lies in its layered analysis of developmental capacities, integrating cultural-social dimensions (heritage preservation and local participation), economic aspects (tourism and fisheries industries), transit potential (gateway to Central Asia via INSTC), financial strategies (foreign direct investment), and international diplomacy (Indo-Iranian collaboration). Comparative models from global case studies such as Shenzhen, Jebel Ali, Dubai, Gwadar, and Shanghai provide actionable insights. For

 
instance, Dubai’s synergy of transit and luxury tourism, Gwadar’s transit-focused development under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and Shanghai’s integrated governance model offer valuable lessons for Makran. The research proposes a novel quantitative model, S=P_m/P_s×I(where P_mis Makran’s potential, P_sis the potential of comparative cases, and Iis the governance index), revealing a 75 percent similarity with benchmarks like Dubai, contingent on governance improvements.
Key findings from the SWOT analysis reveal strengths such as rich heritage and INSTC access, weaknesses including governance fragmentation and sanctions, opportunities like partnerships with India and Russia, and threats such as competition from Gwadar and environmental risks. The cultural-social analysis highlights attractions like the 2,500-year-old Tis Fort and Baluchi festivals, capable of attracting 300,000 cultural tourists annually, akin to Dubai’s Heritage Village. Economically, the blue economy (fisheries and aquaculture) and heavy industries (petrochemicals and steel) could generate 
10 billion from India and Russia) could fund 20 percent of tourism infrastructure, drawing from Dubai’s Sukuk model. Internationally, Chabahar’s role as an INSTC hub fosters cultural diplomacy, targeting 500,000 Asian tourists.
 
Conclusion
this research confirms that overcoming governance challenges through an integrated, cross-sectoral management model—potentially via a “National Makran Development Organization”—could transform the Makran Coasts into a sustainable tourism hub. Such a transformation promises 90,000 jobs and a $10 billion GDP boost, positioning Makran as a national development exemplar. Recommendations include legislative reforms for a unified governance body, urgent infrastructure investments (e.g., Chabahar-Zahidan railway), and operational strategies like branding and community-based tourism funds. This study bridges domestic and global research gaps, offering a blueprint for sustainable development in a geopolitically critical region, especially amid post-Ukraine war dynamics enhancing INSTC’s relevance.
Keywords
Makran Coasts
Sustainable Tourism
Developmental Capacities

Subjects

1.       Ahmad, Sh. & AhmadWani, M. (2014). Impact of Conflict on Tourist Flow and Spatial Distribution of Tourists in Kashmir Valley. World Applied Sciences Journal, 31(6), 1160-1169.
2.       Ahmadi, F. (2021). Ecotourism Potentials and Blue Economy of Makran Coasts. Geography Quarterly, 19(65), 45-70. [Persian]
3.       Bagaeen, S. (2007). Brand Dubai: The Instant City; or the Instantly Recognizable City. International Planning Studies, 12(2), 173-197.
4.       Balakrishnan, M. S. (2008). Dubai, a Unique Model of Development. Journal of International Business Strategy, 8(1), 59-76.
5.       Brundtland, G. H. (1987). Our Common Future. Oxford University Press.
6.       Davidson, C. M. (2008). Dubai: The Vulnerability of Success. Columbia University Press.
7.       European Commission. (2012). Blue Growth. EU Publications.
8.       Fujita, M., & Mori, T. (2005). Transport and Economic Geography. Papers in Regional Science, 84(3), 377-405.
9.       Crouch, G. I. & Ritchie, J. R. B. (1999). Tourism, Competitiveness, and Societal Prosperity. Journal of Business Research, 44(3), 137-152.
10.    Freeman, R. E. (2010). Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach. Cambridge University Press.
 
11.    Henderson, J. C. (2018). Heritage and Eco-tourism in Oman: A Model for the Gulf? Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 16(3), 255-268.
12.    Jenks, M. & Jones, C. (2010). Dimensions of the Sustainable City. Edition 1, Publisher Springer Netherlands.
13.    Pierre, J. (2011). The Politics of Urban Governance. Palgrave Macmillan.
14.    Luttwak, E. N. (1990). From Geopolitics to Geo-economics. The National Interest, 20, 17-23.
15.    Ali, I. (2016). Gwadar Port and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Strategic Studies, 36(4), 35-52.
16.    Pant, H. V. (2016). Chabahar and INSTC. ORF Occasional Paper.
17.    Small, A. (2015). The China-Pakistan Axis. Oxford University Press.
18.    Wong, K. K., & Tang, W. S. (2005). Governance in Shenzhen. In Remaking China’s Public Management (pp. 143-162). Praeger.
19.    Wu, F. (2010). Globalizing Shanghai. Urban Studies, 47(1), 81-106.
20.    Yeung, Y. M., et al. (2009). Shanghai’s Development. The China Quarterly, 197, 117-143.
21.    Ahmadi, Leila (2017). Analysis of Capabilities and Constraints of Tourism Development in Chabahar County. Regional Planning Quarterly, (30)8, 115-130. [Persian]
22.    Barahui, Naser (2019). Sociological Analysis of the Impacts of Development Plans on Local Communities in Makran. PhD Dissertation in Sociology, supervised by Dr. Ghasem Hosseini, University of Sistan and Baluchestan. [Persian]
23.    Bik Mohammadi, Hassan (2018). Transport Corridors and Regional Development in Iran. Tehran: Logistics Publications. [Persian]
24.    Taghvaei, Masoud & Rezaei, Maryam (2021). Blue Economy and Regional Development in Iran. Tehran: Shahid Beheshti University Publications. [Persian]
25.    Hafeznia, Mohammad Reza & Rumina, Ebrahim (2005). Geopolitics of Iran in Southeastern Waters (Makran Coasts and Oman Sea). Geopolitics Quarterly, (2)1, 20-5. [Persian]
26.    Zangiabadi, Ali; Safarabadi, Azam & Mousavi, Mirnajaf (2016). Assessing Barriers to International Tourism Development in Iran’s Free Zones (Case Study: Kish Island). Urban Planning Geography Research, (3)5, 461-479. [Persian]
27.    Environmental Protection Organization (2019). Atlas of Protected Areas of Iran. Tehran: Organization Publications. [Persian]
28.    Sharifi, Omid (2022). Governance Crisis and Regional Underdevelopment: Case Study of Makran Coasts. Strategic Studies of Public Policy Quarterly, (45)12, 50-71. [Persian]
29.    Ezzati, Ezzatollah (2009). Geopolitics in the 21st Century. Tehran: SAMT Publications. [Persian]
30.    Farjirad, Abdolreza (2015). Geopolitics and Territorial Planning in Iran. Tehran: Papoli Publications. [Persian]
31.    Kordavani, Parviz (2013). Geomorphology of Iran. Tehran: University of Tehran Publications. [Persian]
32.    Center for Parliamentary Research (2018). Strategic Report on Iran’s Economic Dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran: Office of Economic Studies. [Persian]
33.    Molaei, Mohammad (2020). Tourism and Local Economic Development. Mashhad: Jahad Daneshgahi Publications. [Persian]
34.    Moloudi, Jamshid (2009). Assessing Urban Environmental Quality in New Cities: Case Study of Hashtgerd New City. MA Thesis in Geography and Urban Planning, supervised by Mojtaba Rafieian, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran. [Persian]
35.    Hajiani, Ebrahim (2001). Ethnic Geopolitics of Southeastern Iran. Tehran: Strategic Research Institute. [Persian]
36.    Rezaei, Mohammad et al. (2018). Transit Capacities of Makran. Geography Quarterly, 16(58), 120-150. [Persian]
37.    Ezzati, Ezzatollah (2009). Fundamentals of Economic Geopolitics. Tehran: SAMT Publications. [Persian]
38.    Karimi, A. (2019). Tourism Diplomacy of Corridors. Geography Quarterly, 17(60), 80-110. [Persian]
Mohammadi, Hassan (2020). Financial Challenges of Makran. Geography Quarterly, 18(62), 90-120. [Persian]
40.    Stephenson, M. L. & Ali-Knight, J. (2010). Dubai’s Tourism Industry: A Strategic Analysis of the Barriers to a Sustainable Future. Journal of Place Management and Development, 3(3), 226-241.
41.    UNWTO. (2015). Global Report on Sustainable Tourism. Madrid: World Tourism Organization.
42.    Iran Statistics Center (2022). Coastal Economic Statistics. Tehran. [Persian].
43.    Ports Organization (2021). Report on Chabahar-Jask Ports. Tehran. [Persian].
Geography
Volume 23, Issue 86
Autumn2024, pp.1-200.
Autumn 2025
Pages 25-41