From Heritage to Livelihood: Synergizing Sustainable Tourism and Historical Preservation in Rural Communities of Gilan

This study aims to integrate sustainable tourism businesses with the preservation of historical heritage authenticity in the village of Masuleh. Accordingly, the study is applied in terms of its objective, possesses an objective-subjective epistemological nature, and employs a mixed-method approach with a concurrent strategy. The study's target population consisted of experts—including specialized academics and professionals in rural development and tourism—selected through purposive sampling, totaling 30 participants. The research instruments included interviews and questionnaires. For data analysis, grounded theory and the DEMATEL model were employed. The analysis of factors influencing the sustainability of tourism businesses in Masuleh village reveals that their success depends on the simultaneous consideration of five interwoven pillars: cultural-historical, physical-architectural, managerial-conservation, socio-economic, and technological dimensions. These elements function as an integrated system, where strengthening one leads to the enhancement of others. Ultimately, this synergy results in multidimensional outcomes across economic, socio-cultural, physical-architectural, and managerial-institutional domains. Within this framework, comprehensive strategies have been developed across four key domains—management and planning, economic and livelihood, cultural and educational, and marketing and promotion. The coordinated implementation of these strategies ensures the sustainable development of tourism in this historic village.