A mathematical model for tourism potential assessment

An audit of the potential for tourism development at heritage sites is a critical step in the planning process. An examination of the current literature on the evaluation of tourism potential reveals two main approaches: descriptive and qualitative. These approaches are not so effective for comparing the tourism potential of heritage sites in a region. Thus, this study aims to develop an operable, quantitative approach to measuring the potential of heritage sites. The mathematics model proposed in this study is characterized by different weights allocated to different indicators for tourism potential, based on resource values and development state. Applying the proposed model allows the assessment results of heritage sites to be compared, as the tourism potential of each site is represented by a value (0-1). A case study of two heritage sites in China demonstrates the effectiveness of the model. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.