In reply to a question about how they understood sustainable
tourism and their preferred type of tourist, respondents spoke about
tourism that brought assorted benefits to local people and assisted
in preserving their culture. Destination residents should be involved
in decisions, not dictated to by outsiders, and enjoy an improved life
because of tourism. Jobs should be available for their children and
overall resources better protected for the younger generation. Visitors
who were responsible, respectful of customs and traditions and cared
about nature and the environment were desired. In reality, most
(83%) respondents agreed that tourism threatened fragile natural or
cultural heritage in Hawraman Takht due to intensive tourist activity.
A minority (27%) described some positive effects such as the safeguarding
of monuments, but opponents believed that conservation
of rural culture and nature was inadequate and had been neglected
by both policy-makers and practitioners.