Site suitability evaluation for ecotourism using geographic information system (GIS) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) in Aroresa and Chire districts, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

The significance of ecotourism has gained increasing recognition due to its contributions to en-vironmental conservation and sustainable development. This study aims to identify potential sites for ecotourism development in the Aroresa and Chire districts, Sidama Region. A combina-tion of field observations, key informant interviews, and spatial data analysis was used to iden-tify the main ecotourism resources and assess the suitability of potential sites. River, land use land cover, natural attraction, elevation, road, slope, rainfall, temperature, and cultural attrac-tion were used to prepare the criteria maps. Geographic information and remote sensing soft-ware were used to evaluate the site for ecotourism. The analytical hierarchy process was also applied to derive the relative weights of criteria maps, followed by a weighted overlay analysis to generate the final suitability map. The findings indicate that the districts are endowed with a wealth of natural, cultural, and historical attractions, including diverse flora and fauna, scenic landscapes, waterfalls, wetlands, and cultural heritage sites. The suitability analysis showed that a considerable portion of the districts (65.5% in Aroresa and 82.8% in Chire) are moder-ately suitable for ecotourism, with smaller areas being highly suitable (9.1% in Aroresa and 6.1% in Chire) or marginally suitable. The researchers recommend that decision-makers prior-itize the promotion and development of these identified ecotourism potentials and suitable sites to foster the growth of ecotourism destinations, thereby contributing to environmental conservation and sustainable development in the region.

Keywords

attractions / ecotourism / site suitability / sustainable development

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