Hamid Shahbandarzadeh

ABSTRACT Given the critical role of sustainability in the development of the ecotourism market, this study aims to identify and prioritize the key determinants of ecotourism market sustainability in Bushehr Province across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The research was applied – developmental, employing a descriptive survey and cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 407 tourists through random cluster sampling. From 96 theoretical indicators (17 economic, 49 social, and 30 environmental), a two-layer perceptron neural network identified 31 high-priority indicators – six economic, nineteen social, and six environmental – with predictive accuracies of 98% in training and 96% in testing. The most influential factors included fair distribution of tourism income for local economic development (q14), equitable sharing of benefits and costs among stakeholders (q7), equal opportunities for women in ecotourism-related roles (q33), and maintaining landscape aesthetics through waste reduction (q93). Methodologically, this study innovatively integrates neural – network modeling with the Triple – Bottom – Line (TBL) framework, offering a localized prioritization model tailored to the coastal – Gulf context of Bushehr. The findings emphasize that equitable income distribution serves as a prerequisite for achieving social and environmental sustainability. Policymakers are therefore encouraged to strengthen income – distribution systems and local employment while promoting women’s empowerment and sustainable waste management.