Introduction
Establishing a tourism brand in developing countries like Iran, especially in rural areas facing various challenges, while simultaneously possessing tourism appeal, can be considered a significant way to overcome these challenges. In fact, tourism brand development and rural development are two interconnected factors, where the development of each has a positive impact on the other, something that has not been optimally utilized in Iran. Zabarkhan County is no exception to this issue. Studies indicate that despite the potential and existing capabilities in the rural tourism industry of Zabarkhan County, the conditions for attracting tourists and developing tourism are not favorable. Various factors contribute to the gap between the current and desired situation, one of which is insufficient marketing or, in other words, branding. Therefore, the present research endeavors to identify, analyze, and then manage the key factors and drivers influencing the formation of a tourism brand in the villages of Zabarghan County. Furthermore, by designing possible future scenarios, it aims to provide a policy-making and planning framework suitable for the region.
 
Methodology
The method employed in this research is meta-synthesis. Meta-synthesis is a qualitative research method where the data collection tools are library studies and a review of research literature. In this method, to achieve a new idea, the results of various research studies are systematically and comprehensively reviewed and then reformulated in a novel way. To conduct the meta-synthesis, the six-stage model of Erwin et al. (2011) was used. The summary of the research background indicates that studies conducted domestically on the topic of tourism brand formation are very limited. Only the studies by Majid Farhadi Younaki et al. (2018), which extensively identified the key and effective drivers of rural brand in Saman County, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, and Anabestani et al. (2021), which focused on tourism branding in rural settlements, have directly addressed this. The remaining studies have focused on the topic of tourism brand or brand equity. Therefore, addressing this issue in rural areas can be a step towards achieving sustainable rural development.
 
Results
In total, after examining the key influencing factors (direct and indirect), the key drivers affecting the formation of rural tourism brand in three areas – economic, social, and environmental indicators – are presented:
In economic factors, the following have direct and indirect influence: creating a suitable environment for investment in rural areas by relevant institutions, the emergence of demand for local products from tourists to generate income and employment, the existence or creation of service-related jobs for tourism development, and the presence of entrepreneurs and elites in the village.
In social factors, the following have direct and indirect influence: local community awareness, sufficient knowledge and skills of the people to carry out production-service activities related to tourism, the participation of rural women and girls in economic and social tourism activities, and the involvement of local people in the planning process and tourism activities, with an emphasis on the mechanism of education and training of individuals active in the tourism sector in the field of setting up exhibitions and festivals.
In environmental factors, affecting brand creation, the following are presented. In this area, the following have direct and indirect influence: the existence of potential for the development of various types of tourism (agricultural, sports, second homes), the activities of the village council (Dehyari) and Islamic council to create tourism facilities, the cooperation of organizations in improving the management of attractions, and the proximity and adjacency to the metropolitan city of Mashhad and the city of Neyshabur.
 
Conclusion
The findings indicate that by strengthening the key drivers, a tourism brand will ultimately be created favorably in rural settlements. Previous studies have examined the tourism brand in rural settlements without considering the drivers and key factors in the three economic, social, and environmental dimensions. However, the advantage of this research over other studies is that it analyzes the key factors and drivers with a future-oriented approach. The findings are consistent with the research of Farhad Younaki et al. (2018). In their research, they stated that the drivers of: 1-Orchards, 2- Water Tourism, 3-Sense of Place, 4- Livestock, Garden, and Agricultural Products, 5- Relaxation Opportunity, 6- Landscape, and 7- Rural Accommodation Centers are the most influential and key drivers in the essence of the brand of the target tourism villages of Saman County, respectively, in the order mentioned. These findings are also consistent with the research of Ivolga and Shakhramanyan (2022) and Ravichandran (2023). They stated that tourism branding acts as a revitalizer for the sustainability of rural destinations. It is also in line with the research of Anabestani et al. (2021), which suggests that sufficient attention has not been paid to economic and social factors in the field of tourism branding. These findings are also consistent with the research of Rafiei Darani (2022), according to whose research, brand awareness and brand image are the two main influential indicators in creating a brand.