Investigating Agrotourism Aesthetics and Social Production of Space from Local Stakeholders’ Perspective: A Case Study of Grape Festival in Abhar City, Darsjin Village, Iran

Playing a significant role in reducing rural poverty, fostering sustainable agricultural and rural development, creating income-generating opportunities for local residents, promoting the culture of natural resource protection, and optimal use of cultural and natural attractions, agricultural tourism provides the basis for interaction between village residents and visiting tourists. In this regard, this study sought to examine the driving forces involved in developing agricultural tourism in Dresjin village from the local stakeholders’ perspective, focusing on the grape festival. The current research is applied in terms of type and descriptive-analytical in terms of nature. The sample size of the study comprised seventy-eight household members who were interviewed along the sidewalks leading to the festival site of Dresjin village. The required data were also collected through library and field studies. The data were then analyzed via the MICMAC approach using the worst-best preference technique. The findings of the study indicated that the positive and pleasant feeling produced by the space and the restoration and maintenance of monuments were the most significantly preferred factors involved in the social production of the space, providing the visitors of Dresjin village with a pleasant feeling and bringing about positive results for the village. Therefore, it appears that tourism development programs must be developed for the village, including clearly set missions and duties of relevant organizations. Such well-developed programs could help avoid parallel working and unnecessary duplications, and also create a sense of responsibility in the actors involved through the tasks assigned to them.