n 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 safe- guarding of monuments, but opponents believed that conservation of rural culture and nature was inadequate and had been neglected by both policy-makers and practitioners.
Officials had encouraged villagers to participate in rural tourism schemes on the grounds that it would help end their poverty and im- prove the local infrastructure. Tourism was presented as a substitute for agriculture and husbandry which had been in long term decline. However, a majority (81%) of respondents said there had been very little interest and engagement in formal rural tourism initiatives by the local community. There were expressions of disillusionment, stemming from past failures to fulfil promises, leading to reluctance to participate. Other impediments to taking part were perceptionsof insufficient resources devoted to the programmes, an absence of administrative mechanisms and a feeling of exclusion. It emerged that locals had not been consulted previously in decision-making about tourism development or been offered assistance to help them make the most of opportunities. There was a desire for empowerment through means such as the acquiring of the skills essential to set up a tourism business and access to funding.