Geography

Geography

Analysi s of the economic and social impacts and role of secondary residences on rural areas (Case study: villages of Astara County

Document Type : Article extracted From phd dissertation

Authors
farzad hafezmoghadam 1
sedigheh hasanimehr 2
Rafat Shahmari Ardjani 3
Alireza Pourshikhian 3
1 Student of Geography and Urban Planning, Astara Branch, Islamic Azad University, Astara, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Astara Branch, Islamic Azad University, Astara, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, Astara Branch, Islamic Azad University, Astara, Iran
10.22034/jiga.2026.2063357.1415
Abstract
Extended Abstract
Introduction
From the perspective of most researchers, secondary settlements are part of the economic, social, physical, and environmental changes of the rural development process. Therefore, the expansion of secondary residences is effective in economic dimensions (creation of employment, improvement of business networks, starting entrepreneurial activities, development of local construction, provision of local services and investment, improvement of quality of life, etc.) and social dimensions (improvement of lifestyle, reduction of outmigration, reduction of isolation, increase of local participation, etc.). Astara County, as one of Iran's natural and cultural tourism destinations, has witnessed a rapid growth of secondary residences in recent years. This growth can have various consequences, including changes in the lifestyle of local people, the creation of new job opportunities, as well as pressure on the natural and cultural resources of the region. One of the most important challenges in the development of rural tourism in Astara County is land use changes and the depletion of natural resources. The conversion of agricultural lands and pastures into residential and recreational areas has placed additional pressure on natural resources, leading to a reduction in vegetation cover and the destruction of natural habitats. The present study aims to investigate and analyze the economic and social consequences of the development of secondary residences in rural areas of Astara County, identifying factors that can be influential in the sustainable development of rural tourism. In this study, the economic and social consequences of these residences on the villages of Astara city were examined and analyzed.

Methodology
The present research is of applied type in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in nature. The data collection method in this research is library and field, and in the field method, questionnaire completion is used. The questionnaire consists of two general and specific sections. The general section deals with the demographics and demographics of the statistical sample. A dedicated questionnaire has been prepared with two parts, questions related to economic consequences and social consequences. The statistical population of this study includes the villages of Astara city. The sample size was determined using the Cochran formula to be 358 people and simple stratified random sampling was used.

Results and Discussion
Test of the first hypothesis: "The most important economic consequence of creating secondary residences in the rural areas of Astara city is an increase in the income of the villagers."Statistical hypothesis (because the range of questions has 5 options, its average is 3) SPSS software was used to test the above hypothesis. Given that the hypothesis test was performed for the numerical value of 3 and the results obtained at the minimum significance level (sig2-tailed) at the 95% confidence level are lower than 0.05, therefore, the hypothesis H0 is rejected. In other words, the most important economic consequence of creating secondary residences in the rural areas of Astara County is an increase in the income of the villagers, therefore, the first hypothesis is confirmed and proven at the 95% confidence level. Testing the second hypothesis “The most important social consequence of creating secondary residences in the villages of Astara city is the reduction in the rate of migration from the village.” Statistical hypothesis (Because the range of questions has 5 options, the average is 3) . Now, considering that the hypothesis test was performed for the numerical value of 3 and the results obtained with a minimum significance level (sig2-tailed) at a 95% confidence level are higher than 0.05, therefore, hypothesis H1 is rejected. In other words, the most important social consequence of creating secondary residences in the villages of Astara city is the reduction in the rate of migration from the village, therefore, the second hypothesis is not confirmed at a 95% confidence level and is rejected. Because the p-value or (sig) of the significance level is equal to zero, which is smaller than the significance level of 0.05, we conclude that there is a significant difference between the questionnaire questions in terms of importance and that from the respondents' perspective, these questions do not have the same value and importance. The results of the Friedman test show that the highest average ratings from the respondents' perspective belonged to income with an average of 3.43, housing and construction with an average of 3.12. Employment with an average of 2.98, production with an average of 2.71, population with an average of 2.28, culture and leisure with an average of 2.21, health and treatment with an average of 2.08, and education with an average of 1.99 were in the next ranks.

Conclusion
The research findings showed that income variables with an average of 3.43 have the greatest impact on the villagers. Also, education with an average of 1.99 has the least impact on the rural community. The expansion of secondary residences in villages has had various consequences in the economic and social fields, both positive and negative. The results of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test showed that our statistical


sample had a normal distribution, and therefore, to examine the research model, the research hypotheses were examined using the mean test and the help of SPSS software. In this study, to test the first hypothesis, a one-sample t-test was used to compare the mean of the Likert scale responses (5 options) with the hypothetical value of 3 (the midpoint of the spectrum). The sample size was (n = 358). The results of the t-test showed that the significance level (p < 0.05) at the 95% confidence level is less than the alpha of 0.05, so the null hypothesis (H0) that the population mean is equal to 3 is rejected. Since the sample mean is significantly greater than 3, it can be concluded that respondents agree with the statement “The most important economic consequence of creating secondary residences in rural areas of Astara County is increasing the income of villagers.” Therefore, the first hypothesis of the research is confirmed at a 95% confidence level. Evaluation of the second research hypothesis: The most important social consequence of creating secondary residences in the villages of Astara city is the reduction in the rate of migration from the village. The results of the t-test showed that given that the significance level (p < 0.05) at the 95% confidence level is less than the alpha of 0.05, the null hypothesis (H0) that the population mean is equal to the value of 3 is rejected. Since most respondents did not agree with the statement "The most important social consequence of creating secondary residences in the villages of Astara County is reducing the rate of migration from the countryside," the second hypothesis is rejected.
Keywords
Second Homes
Rural Development
Rural Tourism
Local Economy
Quality of Life
Subjects
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Geography
Volume 24, Issue 89
Summer 2026
Pages 137-161