Article Title :
Detection and Delineation of Potential Areas for Tourism Activities in Coastal Zone of Ratnagiri District, Maharashtra (India)
5 (2021)
79-113
Analytic Hierarchy Process , AHP , Coastal area , Tourism , Tourism Potential Area , Inverse Distance Weighted , Weighted overlay
Tourism is a device of economic development in developed, developing, and even in underdeveloped countries. The AHP based MCDA techniques used for detection and delineation of the tourism potential zones in the coastal area of Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra (India). The conventional and satellite data viz. ASTER data has been used for spatial analysis in GIS software. Seacoast, elevation, slope, river, LULC, available amenities, accessibility and connectivity, cultural and historical places, and density of settlements used as the criterions for detection of potential zones for tourism activities. The experts’ opinions, literature survey and fieldwork used as the source of information for the selection of criterions and determination of ranks. The weighted overlay technique used to find the comparative levels of tourism potentials: very high, high, moderate and less potentials for tourism. About 13% of TGA shows comparatively very high tourism potential, 25.80% shows high, 54.62 % shows moderate, and 6.57 % shows less tourism potential. The overall accuracy of the categorized map estimated about 89.60%. The thematic maps viz. amenities and settlement were processed using inverse distance weighted (IWD) interpolation technique. Therefore, some areas from the category, ‘high potential’ merged in the category, ‘moderate potential’ and reduced the producer’s accuracy of the classified map. The sandy beaches, lowland area with a gentle slope, river landscape features, road network, cultural and historical places, ideal size of settlements and number of amenities are attractions of tourists in the region. The technique used in this study can be an effective apparatus for precise analysis of site suitability for tourism activities.
The AHP based MCDA techniques used for detection and delineation of the tourism potential areas in the coastal area.
Nine criterions e.g. seacoast, elevation, slope, river, LULC, available amenities, accessibility and connectivity, cultural and historical places and density of settlements were used for the analysis.
About 13% area shows comparatively very high, 25.80% high, 54.62% moderate, and 6.57% less tourism potentials.
The overall accuracy of the categorized map is estimated 89.60 %.
Asmamaw, D. and Gidey, E., 2018. Identification of Potential Eco-tourism Site Suitability Using AHP and GIS, A Case of Hugumburda Forest and its Surrounding Areas, Advance in Environmental Waste Management & Recycling Ethiopia. Advance in Environmental Waste Management and Recycling, 1(1).1-4.
Belsoy, J., Korir, J. and Yego, J., 2012. Environmental Impacts of Tourism in Protected Areas. Journal of Environment and Earth Science, 2(10).64-74.
Botero, C., Pereira, C., Anfuso, A., Cervantes, O., Williams, A.T., Pranzini, E. and Silva, C. P., 2014. Recreational parameters as an assessment tool for beach. Green, A. N. and Cooper, J. A. G. (eds.), Proceedings 13th International Coastal Symposium (Durban, South Africa). Journal of Coastal Research, 70, 556-562.
Clark, D., 1982. Urban Geography: An Introductory Guide. Croom Helm, London, 200-220.
Ejiofor, A., Anim, A., Demitrus, O. and Elechi, O., 2012. Assessment of the Influence of Education on Tourism Development in Enugu State, Nigeria. American Journal of Tourism Research, 1(1), 33-42.
Ertas, S., Sadiklar, Z., Koc, S. and Demirel, O., 2017. Sustainable development created by Konya/Sille Hagia Eleni Church in the scope of tourism potential. Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology, 18(3), 1038-1049.
Ghamgosar., M. Haghyghy, M., Mehrdoust, F. and Arshad, N., 2016. Multicriteria Decision Making Based on Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in GIS for Tourism. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, 10 (4), 501-507.
Hermawan, H., Wijayanti, A. and Nugroho, D.S., 2019. Loyalty on Ecotourism analysed using the factors of tourist attraction, safety, and amenities, with satisfaction as an intervening variable. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 8 (5), 1-19.
Kale. V. S., 2015. Geo-wealth geoheritage geological heritage geomorphological heritage geosites geoparks geomorphosites geomorphoparks. Journal of Indian Geomorphology, 3, 10-26.
Maharashtra State Gazetteers, Ratnagiri District.1962. Government of Maharashtra, Bombay Directorate of Government Printing, Stationery, 1-90.
Maithani, S., Gupta, K., Siddiqui, A., Begum, A., Deshmukh, A. and Kumar, P., 2019. Urban settlement pattern and growth dynamics in Northwest Himalaya, urban and regional studies department, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Department of Space, Goverment of India, Dehradun, India, 433-453.
Mamun, A. and Mitra, S., 2012. A methodology for assessing tourism potential: Case study Murshidabad district, West Bengal, India. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 2(9), 1-8.
Monavari, S.M., Farshchi, F., Karbassi, A., Abedi, Z. and Abed, M. H., 2012. Prioritization of tourism destinations through the south coast lines of the Caspian Sea from sustainable viewpoint. Asian Journal of Chemistry, 24(4), 1473-1478.
Ogbuene, E. B., 2011. The role of adequate rainfall in the development of environmental resources and enhancement of tourism potential in Ugbo Town of Enugu State, Nigeria. Journal of Environmental Issues and Agriculture in Developing Countries, 3(1), 44-54.
Popichit, N., Anuwichanont, J., Chuanchom, J., Serirat, S. and Mechinda, P., 2013. A survey of destination potential, tourism activities and future travelling intention towards tourism along the rivers in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 4(7), 116-122.
Rabbany, G., Afrin, S., Rahman, A. Islam, F. and Hoque, F., 2013. Environmental effects of tourism. American Journal of Environment, Energy and Power Research, 1(7), 117-130.
Rahman, R. and Rindam, M., 2017. River Morphometry Analysis and Its Capacity to Introduce Tourism Attraction in Sedim River, Kedah. Geografi, 5, (2), 127-137.
Ruano. M., 2018. Decision making within the tourism industry with AHP: Determining key influential factors affecting foreign visitors’ decision to revisit Belize, Central America. Ph.D. Program in Management - College of Management, 1-11.
Sepahi, M. A., Anvari, M. R. and Bostani, M. K., 2015. Assessment of geomorphic tourist places in village in Chabahar by using prolong method. International Journal of Scientific and Engineering Research, 6(7), 514-523.
Setioko, B., Murtini, T. W. and Pandelaki, E. E., 2011. Conceptual spatial model of coastal settlement in urbanizing area. International Journal on Architectural Science, 8(3), 60-66.
Thakur, U., Khosravi, F., Quattrone, G., Bandyopadhyay, S., Magedera, I. and Garikipati, S., 2020. Exploring the role of strategic environmental assessment in cultural heritage tourism planning: A case study of the Srirangapatna-Mysore region in India. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 39(2), 138-150.
Thama, A., 2019. The settlement of travel bureau role in the development of medical tourism in Indonesia. Jurnal Hukum Prasada, 6(1), 15-21.
Wijerathne, A. and Senevirathna, K., 2020. Identification of The Potentiality And Socio Economic Impacts of Tourism In Minneriya National Park Using GIS Techniques. Wildlanka, 4 (2), 48-57.
