Destination Attractiveness And Infrastructure Facility For Selected Ecotourism Destionation In Odisha: Using Ahp And Topsis Method
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66635/t6037a25Keywords:
Tourism, destination branding, Assessment tool (AHP, TOPSIS)Abstract
The originality of this research is in identifying ten key criteria and eight attributes that make a destination attractive and the infrastructure facilities that influence the performance of ecotourism destination of Odisha. To assess the operational performance of ecotourism destinations, we take an integrated approach, focusing on eight essential criteria and ten attributes identified through a thorough literature review. Additionally, experts have validated and finalized these eight criteria and ten attributes, which are crucial for determining the sustainable performance of ecotourism sites in terms of their attractiveness and infrastructure. A total of 14 experts, including Senior researchers from universities and tourism officials were involved in the data collection process. The application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) reveals that the factors contributing to destination such as natural attractions (D1), local culture (D2), and uniqueness (D3) are prioritized the highest while ICT and tour guide receive lowest rank from the AHP result. Additionally, the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) According to the results, Chilika is the favorite ecotourism destination with the highest percentage of votes, which is followed by Daringibadi and Satakosia. Similipal, Debrigarh, Khandadhar, and Deomali were the next popular areas in that order, while Bhitarkanika took the eighth position. Thus, it can be concluded that Chilika has the best client satisfaction with the highest level of appeal, while Bhitarkanika, on the contrary, needs improvement to increase its attractiveness and satisfaction level.This study also examines key issues, focusing on the major support needed, obstacles to adoption, the advantages of ecotourism and sustainable ecotourism practices. The goal of this reflection is to better clarify opinions on the impediments of the sustainable tourism industry in Odisha. The limitation of the study is the geographic scope and limited demographics of the respondents. The present study is one of the first attempts to assess the destination attractiveness and infrastructure facilities of Odisha province.
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