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This study explores the relationship between tourism development and urban energy consumption patterns in Isfahan, Iran. The impact and connection between tourism and energy consumption were examined in areas with tourist attractions and those without. The research, conducted through a quantitative survey using a questionnaire, involved 384 citizens of Isfahan city across 15 urban areas. The results indicated a significant relationship between tourism and energy consumption, with tourist areas showing lower and more acceptable energy consumption levels compared to non-tourist areas. The study utilised an integrated methodology combining household surveys, GIS spatial analysis, and municipal energy records. Advanced spatial statistics, including Geographically Weighted Regression and hotspot detection, were employed to reveal neighbourhood-scale consumption dynamics often overlooked in citywide analyses. The findings demonstrated that tourism districts exhibited 22–30% lower energy consumption levels despite higher service demands, attributed to reduced appliance counts, climate-responsive building designs, and smart infrastructure technologies. The research contributes methodologically by developing a replicable framework for analysing urban energy landscapes that considers functional district differences. For policymakers, the study offers evidence-based guidance for infrastructure upgrades, spatially differentiated energy policies, and scaling tourism-driven efficiency innovations in urban systems. This approach provides cities with heritage tourism assets tools to balance economic development with sustainable energy transitions.
Ghalehteimouri et al. (Tue,) studied this question.