Periódico do Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas sobre Gênero e Direito Centro de Ciências Jurídicas - Universidade Federal da Paraíba V. 8 - Nº 03 - Ano 2019 ISSN | 2179-7137 | http://periodicos.ufpb.br/ojs2/index.php/ged/index 508 ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT OPTIMUM STRATEGIES USING SWOT AND QSPM MODELS: A CASE STUDY OF ARDEBIL PROVINCE, IRAN 1 Bahram Imani 2 Mansour Rahmati 3 i Vahed Aghae Abstract: Tourism is the largest economic activities in the worlds and has a fast growth, status of Iran suggests that Iran's tourism industry in less than one thousandth of global revenue from tourism is their portion. Among the provinces of Iran, many ecotourism attractions in Ardebil province (about 42 hot and cold mineral springs, 24 dams, 11 habitats and 35 special natural attractions, etc.), which can be a factor for sustainable development in the region. This study aimed to identify existing facilities and provide optimal solutions to assist in economic development, social and cultural development of ecotourism is in shadow, so in this research using descriptive - analytical model of strategic planning (SWOT) to provide strategies and 1 Assistant Professor of Geography and Rural Planning, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran. Email: bahram_imani60@yahoo.com. 2 Assistant Professor of Political Geography, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran. Email: rahmati1358@gmail.com. 3 PhD student in Geography and Urban Planning University of Kharazmi, Tehran, Iran. Email: aghaei.vahed@gmail.com. effective strategies used in the development of ecotourism is in the end, using a strategic quantity planning priorities, 20 basic strategy suggested for the ecotourism development. Keywords: Ecotourism, Development, Strategic Planning, SWOT, Ardebil province 1- Introduction Tourism is define as an activity at which done by people for Entertainment and travel to other part from their home. Tourism has been done in two inner and international levels that each them has their characteristic. Inner factors totally are rule, customs, values, ideas and force groups. In recent decade, tourism importance at international level