"Urban Tourism" is the thirteenth volume of the series "The Green Book of Municipality" which is published by the publishing center for Organization of Municipalities and Towns. This book examines the various issues related to urban tourism, including macro policies in the management and development of urban tourism in Iran.

IBNA: The hasty manner of civil development and its qualitative modifications in the contemporary world and the deteriorated environmental and social problems of cities during the recent decades have brought about new needs which have exposed the basis of civil management and urbanism to the fundamental evolution. The contemporary urban dimensions and structures are so that in which the interactions between man and nature have been very limited and this situation has created many obstacles on the path of fulfilling citizens' spiritual, social and cultural needs, which the later has resulted in turn a severe loss in feeling tranquility and comfort, especially in the quality of leisure time.

"Urban Tourism" is a book in 10 chapters to the issues addressed above. The first chapter of this book titled as "Definitions and Concepts of Urban Tourism" discuss -as its name implies- the main topics of tourism including "Leisure and Urban Tourism" and offers comprehensive definitions of Tourist, Urban Promenade, Suburb Promenade and etc.

The second chapter of this book under the title of "New Ideas and Approaches in Urban Tourism" investigates the main factors involved in tourism constant development and describes the fundamental strategies in the development of urban tourism. In this chapter we read:" Today, Tourism international organizations as well as all the related institutes, accepting and issuing the concept of Tourism Constant Development; are trying to guide tourism development related activities locally, nationally and internationally to a point at which they can make the most benefit and the least damage for the human societies."

The third chapter of this book titled as: "Environmental Impacts of Urban Tourism" explores the mutual relations between tourism development and environmental resources and explains the environmental management methods for tourism development. Tourism in this chapter has been investigated from two aspects: as a threat or a supporter of the environment. Green tourism, green belt, development of tourism and ecotourism are other issues expressed in this chapter as well.

Social, cultural, and economic dimensions of tourism as well as urban tourism management and planning methods along with macro policies on urban management have formed the main approach of the fourth and fifth chapters of this book. The sixth chapter entitled "Background and Context of Urban Tourism in Iran" deals also with the developments in culture of leisure and tourism in Iran. The process of approval and the formation of laws and institutions related to tourism are assessed in this part as well.

The growing demand for urban tourism, urban tourism attractions and resources, lack of environmental regulations and cultural heritage in the field of tourism are among the possibilities and limitations of urban tourism explored in Chapter Seven. Inconsistency and continuity in the development of domestic and foreign tourism, the weak role of government and the limitation of municipalities' facilities in fulfilling the public right of domestic tourism, the weak role of urban and local planning in creating urban underlying structures and facilities are among the topics introduced in this chapter as some of the fundamental obstacles and problems existed in the way of urban tourism development.

The role of municipalities and town councils in urban tourism management has been discussed in Chapter Eight. Ninth chapter of the book titled as "Successful Experiences in Urban Tourism Development" deals also with examples of urban tourism including urban parks and recreational-athletic complexes, and in each case, samples from different cities of Iran are given. Some international successful experiences in urban tourism, including the expansion of urban tourism in "Quedlinburg-Germany "and "Antalya-Turkey"; have also been studied in this chapter.

The final chapter of this book is to present its results and suggestions in the discussion of urban tourism and emphasizes on the need for planning and management on urban tourism.

"Urban Tourist" written by Ahmad Saeidniya and Jawad Mehdizadeh is published by the publishing center for Organization of Municipalities and Towns of Iran, with the circulation of 3000 copies, in 200 pages and at the price of 50000 R.

Id : 139666