SWOT analysis and strategic sustainable development of ecotourism in developing countries Mousavi Sayed Ebrahim*, Dr. Pondhe G. M.**, Dr. Jaybhaye Ravindra G.*** *Department of Environmental sciences, University of Pune, India **Department of Environmental Sciences, P.V.P College, Ahmadnagar, India ***Department of Geography, University of Pune, India Online published on 12 November, 2013. Abstract There are positive and negative effects of ecotourism development which none of these two sides can be underestimated. This paper uses a strategic planning method, SWOT analysis, to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in ecotourism. It involves specifying the objective of sustainable development of ecotourism in two different developing countries, Iran with a focus of Zayandeh Rud River and India, Mulshi Lake and identifying the internal and external impacts that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective. Setting the objective is done after the SWOT analysis has been performed. This would allow achievable goals to be set for government and private sectors in developing countries in order to make a balance through ecotourism development in local areas. This paper is based on 2-year research work and this SWOT is used as a basis for the analysis of ecotourism development along with social and cultural impacts. The researchers of this following SWOT analysis ask and answer questions that generate meaningful information for per category (strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats) in order to maximize the benefits of this evaluation and find their competitive advantage for sustainable development of ecotourism in mentioned study areas and minimize the negative consequences. In conclusion, this analysis is used in creating a recommendation during a viability study. Top Keywords Ecotourism, Developing countries, Sustainable development, SWOT. Top |