GeoPatterns, Vol. II, Issue 2, November 2017, pp. 24-33 © Center for Risk Studies, Spatial Modelling, Terrestrial and Coastal System Dynamics, Bucharest 2017 Multicriteria decision analysis applied in tourism Diana Popovici, Alexandra Capră, Ştefania Omrani Faculty of Geography, University of Bucharest
[email protected] Abstract. The decision analyses are useful tools used successfully in many fields – from Economics and Management to Urban Planning and Tourism. The aim of this analysis is to illustrate the usefulness and the potential of the decision analyses in tourism and even for business purposes. The paper presents a very brief introduction on the decision analyses with an emphasis on the multicriteria method applied in these. Further, applied on the study case, the phases of a decision analysis are being presented. The study case area is represented by a touristic area, which is not very well developed – Vrancea Depression – and it combines socio-economic aspects with touristic ones. At the end of the paper, some conclusions are drawn. Keywords: multicriteria, decision analysis, spatial location, GIS, Vrancea Depression 1. INTRODUCTION Urban Planning (e.g. Dai et al., 2001, Gamboa and Munda, 2007, Sheppard and Meitner, 2005, Svoray Decision analysis has emerged as a response to the and Bannet, 2005) to Economics (Pohekar and needs of the managers and of the economists at the Ramachandran, 2004, Ho et al., 2010), Ecology and beginning of the 20th century. The decision analyses Tourism (Dye and Shaw, 2007, Feick, 2000, are being applied in all the domains where there are Kapantow, 2004). several stakeholders involved, the resources are limited, but the needs are almost unlimited.