Feasibility of Implementing City Development Strategy (CDS) in Ramsar, Iran: A Participatory SWOT-QSPM Approach

Abstract

Traditional comprehensive planning has largely failed to address the complex, dynamic challenges of urban development in Iran, particularly due to its top-down nature and lack of citizen participation. The City Development Strategy (CDS), introduced by the Cities Alliance in 1999, offers a participatory, strategic alternative focused on sustainable urban development, poverty reduction, and good governance. This study assesses the feasibility of preparing and implementing a CDS in Ramsar, a major tourist city in northern Iran, by analyzing the participatory capacity of citizens and urban managers. Using a descriptive-analytical method, data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires and library studies, then analyzed using Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT), Internal-External Analysis (IEA), and Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM). Results show that Ramsar possesses key strengths strong citizen inclination to participate, active NGOs and cooperatives, and rich socio-cultural relations but faces major barriers, including undefined participation levels, short-term unstable management, low citizen trust in municipal management, and weak municipal financial sustainability. The most effective strategies are: 1) leveraging Ramsar's rich socio-cultural heritage to raise awareness and participation (total attractiveness score = 21.01), and 2) engaging NGOs and cooperatives in CDS preparation and implementation (score = 19.95). This research provides actionable strategic priorities for municipal managers and contributes to the limited literature on CDS feasibility in middle-sized Iranian cities.