Comparative Analysis of Residents’ Attitudes Toward Sustainable Tourism Development Using a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Technique

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to comparatively examine the factors that affect the attitudes of different resident groups (local and foreign) toward sustainable tourism development. In the study, the cause and effect relationship between contextual factors that affect residents’ attitudes toward sustainable tourism development have been analyzed using a multi-criteria decision-making technique, for the first time. Moreover, the sub-criteria specifying the environmental, social, economic, and cultural impacts of sustainable tourism were analyzed with the DEMATEL technique. According to the study results, while seasonality was the most affecting factor for locals, environmental benefit was the most affecting factor for foreign residents. The factors most affected by locals were environmental, cultural and social benefits, and the most affected factors for foreign residents were cultural and social benefits. The results of the study provide important insights for destination planners.