Introduction

Over the past few decades, tourism has become one of the most important drivers of economic, social, and spatial development in rural areas. Tourism development not only creates employment opportunities, increases income, and improves the quality of life, but also plays a vital role in preserving natural and cultural heritage and strengthening local assets. However, the rapid and uncontrolled expansion of tourism activities in many destinations has resulted in adverse consequences, including the degradation of natural resources, land-use change, environmental pollution, and increased vulnerability of local communities. Consequently, in recent years, the concept of green tourism management has attracted growing attention from researchers and policymakers as an approach that promotes environmental protection, the responsible use of natural resources, active participation of local communities, and the achievement of sustainable development.

Among Iran's tourist destinations, Gilan Province stands out due to its rich natural landscapes, cultural heritage, and numerous tourist villages, making it one of the country's most prominent tourism destinations. Despite its considerable tourism potential, the uneven development of tourism in parts of the province has intensified pressure on natural resources, undermined the sustainability of rural livelihoods, and increased the vulnerability of local communities. Therefore, adopting green tourism management approaches can contribute not only to the conservation of natural assets but also to the improvement of sustainable livelihoods and the enhancement of community resilience. Although numerous studies have examined sustainable tourism, limited attention has been given to simultaneously investigating the relationships among green tourism management, sustainable livelihoods, and local community resilience in the tourist villages of Gilan Province. Accordingly, this study aims to analyze the effects of green tourism management on sustainable livelihoods and local community resilience while examining the mediating role of sustainable livelihoods in this relationship.



Methodology

This study is applied in terms of its objective and adopts a descriptive–survey, correlational research design. The study population comprised households residing in 34 tourist villages in Gilan Province, as well as rural tourism operators, owners of eco-lodges, local administrators, and village heads (dehyars). According to official statistics, these villages included a total of 13,681 households. The required sample size was determined to be 374 respondents using Cochran’s sample size formula at a 95% confidence level (5% margin of error). Participants were selected through a multistage cluster sampling method, with proportional quota sampling used to allocate the sample across the selected villages.

Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale, encompassing three main constructs: green tourism management, sustainable livelihoods, and local community resilience. The validity of the instrument was assessed through both content and construct validity, while its reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability (CR), and the rho_A coefficient. The results confirmed that the measurement instrument demonstrated satisfactory validity and reliability. Data were analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS software. The measurement model was evaluated based on factor loadings, average variance extracted (AVE), and discriminant validity using the Fornell–Larcker criterion and the Heterotrait–Monotrait ratio (HTMT). The structural model was assessed using path coefficients, t-statistics, the coefficient of determination (R²), effect size (f²), predictive relevance (Q²), and overall model fit indices.



Findings

The descriptive statistics indicated that the mean scores of the three constructs—green tourism management, sustainable livelihoods, and local community resilience—were at a moderate level. Furthermore, the results of the measurement model assessment showed that all factor loadings exceeded 0.80, while the values of Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability (CR), and average variance extracted (AVE) were all above the recommended thresholds. These findings confirm that the measurement instrument possesses satisfactory reliability and construct validity.

The structural model results revealed that green tourism management has a positive and statistically significant effect on sustainable livelihoods (β = 0.710, p < 0.001). In addition, green tourism management exerts a direct positive and significant effect on local community resilience (β = 0.325, p < 0.001). Sustainable livelihoods were also found to have a positive and significant effect on local community resilience (β = 0.496, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the mediation analysis indicated that green tourism management enhances local community resilience indirectly through improvements in sustainable livelihoods, confirming the significant mediating role of sustainable livelihoods in this relationship.

The coefficients of determination indicated that green tourism management explained a substantial proportion of the variance in both sustainable livelihoods (R² = 0.504) and local community resilience (R² = 0.580). Moreover, the effect size (f²) and predictive relevance (Q²) values demonstrated that the proposed model possessed satisfactory explanatory and predictive power. The overall model fit indices, including the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), normed fit index (NFI), and RMS Theta, further confirmed the good fit of the proposed structural model. Overall, all three research hypotheses were empirically supported.



Discussion and Conclusion

The descriptive statistics revealed that the mean scores of the three constructs—green tourism management, sustainable livelihoods, and local community resilience—were at a moderate level. Furthermore, the assessment of the measurement model showed that all factor loadings exceeded 0.80, while the values of Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability (CR), and average variance extracted (AVE) were all above the recommended threshold levels. These results confirm that the measurement instrument demonstrates adequate reliability as well as satisfactory convergent validity.

Furthermore, the mediating role of sustainable livelihoods indicates that the effect of green tourism management on local community resilience is realized largely through improvements in the economic and social well-being of rural residents rather than through a direct mechanism. This finding is consistent with previous studies by Khodapanah and Mohammadi (2023), Kazemiyeh (2024), Javan and Jamini (2025), Shi et al. (2022), Xiao et al. (2023), Goucher et al. (2024), and Turčinović et al. (2025), all of which emphasize that sustainable tourism management, active community participation, and livelihood diversification are critical drivers of enhanced resilience in rural communities.

The main contribution of this study lies in its integrated examination of the relationships among green tourism management, sustainable livelihoods, and local community resilience, while also identifying the mediating role of sustainable livelihoods in the context of tourist villages in Gilan Province. Nevertheless, the study is subject to several limitations, including its geographical focus on a single province and its reliance on cross-sectional, perception-based data. Future research is encouraged to adopt mixed-methods approaches, longitudinal and comparative research designs, and to incorporate additional variables such as local governance, social capital, innovation, and smart technologies to develop more comprehensive models of green tourism management. Overall, the findings suggest that green tourism management represents a strategic pathway for advancing sustainable development in tourist villages and can provide valuable insights for policymakers and tourism planners in designing more resilient and sustainable rural tourism policies.