RESEARCH ARTICLE

Walking as soft mobility: A multi-criteria GIS-based approach for prioritizing tourist routes

  • Ghazal Hassanshahi , 1 ,
  • Ali Soltani , 2,3 ,
  • Maryam Roosta , 1 ,
  • Sajad Askari , 4
Expand
  • 1. Department of Urban Planning and Design, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
  • 2. UniSA Business, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
  • 3. Injury Studies, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Bedford Park, Australia
  • 4. Department of Civil, Materials and Environmental Engineering (CME), University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, United States
g.hasanshahi@shirazu.ac.ir
ali.soltani@unisa.edu.au
m-roosta@shirazu.ac.ir
saskar6@uic.edu

Received date: 19 May 2023

Revised date: 28 Aug 2023

Accepted date: 09 Sep 2023

Copyright

2023 2023 Higher Education Press Limited Company. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co. Ltd.

Abstract

Walking, as the main mode of soft mobility, has become an integral aspect of urban tourism. The development of pedestrian tourist routes plays a crucial role in enhancing the positive walking experience in urban tourist destinations. This research employs a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) with GIS to rank street segments, establishing walking-oriented tourist paths in Shiraz’s historic district, Iran. The initial steps involve identifying pivotal criteria through literature reviews and expert surveys. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) establishes criteria and sub-criteria weights using input from 30 experts. The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) then prioritizes street segments based on sub-criteria such as traffic safety, image ability and heritage assets, security, land use and activity, accessibility, comfort and convenience, and human scale. Further-more, a Space Syntax analysis (SSA) is conducted to evaluate the morphology of the street network in the study area and identify streets with potential for pedestrian movement. By integrating these analyses, a prime corridor for a pedestrian tourist route is identified. This study offers planners and policymakers a valuable tool for pre-investment decision-making, aiding the promotion of walkability in tourist-centric areas.

Cite this article

Ghazal Hassanshahi , Ali Soltani , Maryam Roosta , Sajad Askari . Walking as soft mobility: A multi-criteria GIS-based approach for prioritizing tourist routes[J]. Frontiers of Architectural Research, 2023 , 12(6) : 1080 -1096 . DOI: 10.1016/j.foar.2023.09.001

Outlines

/