Abstract
This paper explores the usage of two specific multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods—Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS)—in the tourism field, where their usage is practically non-existent. Multi-criteria analysis methods use objective or subjective criteria to rank different variables of interest, the purpose of ranking being to facilitate different strategic decision-making and problem-solving processes. By using these methods, the paper assesses the attractiveness of six cultural heritage sites in Porto, Portugal, namely some of the city’s architectural masterpieces, and ranks them based on the following set of criteria: (i) historic value; (ii) aesthetic/artistic value; (iii) representativeness; (iv) state of preservation; (v) infrastructure and accessibility and (vi) social significance. The purpose of the study is to understand different levels of attractiveness of cultural sites and to discuss the possible reasons why ones are given higher importance than the others. The two methods give almost identical outcomes, showing parity between their usages and affirming the integrity of the results.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Afshari A, Mojahed M, Yusuff RM (2010) Simple additive weighting approach to personnel selection problem. Int J Innovation Technol. Manage 1(5):511–515
Aminu M, Matori AN, Yusof KW, Zainol RB (2014) Application of geographic information system (GIS) and analytic network process (ANP) for sustainable tourism planning in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. Appl Mech Mater 567:769–774. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.567.769
Behzadian M, Otaghsara SK, Yazdani M, Ignatius J (2012) A state-of the-art survey of TOPSIS applications. Expert Syst Appl 39(17):13051–13069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2012.05.056
Belton V, Stewart TJ (2002) Multiple criteria decision analysis: an integrated approach. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston
Belton V, Stewart TJ (2010) Problem structuring and multiple criteria decision analysis. In: Ehrgott M, Figueira JR, Greco S (eds) Trends in multiple criteria decision analysis, Springer, New York, pp 209–239. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5904-1
Botti L, Peypoch N (2013) Multi-criteria ELECTRE method and destination competitiveness. Tourism Manage. Perspect. 6:108–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2013.01.001
Carayannis EG, Ferreira FAF, Bento P, Ferreira JJM, Jalali MS, Fernandes BMQ (2018) Developing a socio-technical evaluation index for tourist destination competitiveness using cognitive mapping and MCDA. Technol Forecast Soc Chang 131:147–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2018.01.015
Casa da Música (nd) A obra. http://www.casadamusica.com/en/a-casa-da-musica/a-obra/. Accessed 5 Feb 2018
Choi AS, Ritchie BW, Papandrea F, Bennett J (2010) Economic valuation of cultural heritage sites: a choice modelling approach. Tour Manag 31(2):213–220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2009.02.014
Civitatis Porto (nd) Igreja e Torre dos Clérigos. https://www.tudosobreporto.com/igreja-torre-dos-clerigos. Accessed 7 Feb 2018
Costa C (2006) Tourism planning, development and the territory. In: Buhalis B, Costa C (eds) Tourism management dynamics: trends, management and tools. Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, pp 236–243
Dalmas L, Geronimi V, Noël JF, Tsang King Sang J (2015) Economic evaluation of urban heritage: an inclusive approach under a sustainability perspective. J Cult Heritage 16(5):681–687. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2015.01.009
De Sousa M (nd) Igrejas do Carmo e dos Carmelitas. http://portoby.livrarialello.pt/igrejas-do-carmo-dos-carmelitas/. Accessed 5 Feb 2018
Del Vasto-Terrientes L, Fernández-Cavia J, Huertas A, Moreno A, Valls A (2015) Official tourist destination websites: Hierarchical analysis and assessment with ELECTRE-III-H. Tourism Manag. Perspect. 15:16–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2015.03.004
Descobrir Portugal (2010) Torre dos Clérigos, o mais conhecido monumento do Porto. https://descobrir-portugal.com/2010/09/torre-dos-clerigos/. Accessed 7 Feb 2018
Di Martino P, Petrillo C (2006) An international project to develop networking for promoting a specific destination: emigration as a tool to enhance tourism in Cilento area. In: Lazzeretti L, Petrillo C (eds) Tourism local systems and networking. Elsevier, Oxford, pp 219–233
Diocese do Porto (nd) Sé do Porto. http://www.diocese-porto.pt/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=877&Itemid=60. Accessed 7 Feb 2018
Direção Regional de Cultura do Norte (nd) Sé do Porto. http://www.culturanorte.pt/pt/patrimonio/se-do-porto/. Accessed 7 Feb 2018
Direção-Geral do Património Cultural (nd) Conjunto constituído pela Igreja dos Carmelitas Descalços e Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte do Carmo. http://www.patrimoniocultural.gov.pt/pt/patrimonio/patrimonio-imovel/pesquisa-do-patrimonio/classificado-ou-em-vias-de-classificacao/geral/view/155835. Accessed 5 Feb 2018
Dutta M, Husain Z (2009) An application of Multicriteria Decision Making to built heritage: the case of Calcutta. J Cult Heritage 10(2):237–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2008.09.007
Dyer P, Aberdeen L, Schuler S (2003) Tourism impacts on an Australian indigenous community: a Djabugay case study. Tour Manag 24:83–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(02)00049-3
Emir O, Bayer RU, Erdoğan NK, Karamaşa Ç (2016) Evaluating the destination attractions from the point of experts’ view: an application in Eskişehir. TURIZAM 20(2):92–104. https://doi.org/10.18421/TRZ20.02-04
Europe’s best destinations (nd) European best destinations 2017. https://www.europeanbestdestinations.com/best-of-europe/european-best-destinations-2017/. Accessed 30 Jan 2018
Eurostat (2017a) Estatísticas do turismo. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Tourism_statistics/pt&oldid=351465. Accessed 18 Feb 2018
Eurostat (2017b) Tourism statistics. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Tourism_statistics. Accessed 3 Feb 2018
Ferretti V, Comino E (2015) An integrated framework to assess complex cultural and natural heritage systems with multi-attribute value theory. J Cult Heritage 16(5):688–697. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2015.01.007
Ferretti V, Bottero M, Mondini G (2014) Decision making and cultural heritage: an application of the multi-attribute value theory for the reuse of historical buildings. J Cult Heritage 15(6):644–655. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2013.12.007
Fuentes JM (2010) Methodological bases for documenting and reusing vernacular farm architecture. J Cult Heritage 11(2):119–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2009.03.004
Fusco Girard L, De Toro P (2007) Integrated spatial assessment: a multicriteria approach to sustainable development of cultural and environmental heritage in San Marco dei Cavoti, Italy. CEJOR 15(3):281–299. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10100-007-0031-1
Giove S, Rosato P, Breil M (2011) An application of multicriteria decision making to built heritage: the redevelopment of Venice Arsenale. J Multi-Criteria Decision Anal 17(3–4):85–99. https://doi.org/10.1002/mcda.455
Göksu A, Kaya SE (2014) ranking of tourist destinations with multi-criteria decision making methods in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Econ Rev—J Econ Bus 12(2):91–103
Gomes M (nd) Carmo and Carmelitas’ Churches. http://www.localporto.com/carmo-camelitas-church/. Accessed 5 Feb 2018
Hutter M, Frey BS (2010) On the influence of cultural value on economic value. Revue d’économie politique 120(1):35–46. https://doi.org/10.3917/redp.201.0035
Hwang CL, Yoon KP (1981) Multiple attribute decision making: methods and applications. Springer-Verlag, New York
ICOMOS (2002) International cultural tourism charter: principles and guidelines for managing tourism at places of cultural and heritage significance. http://www.frh-europe.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/ICOMOS-International-Cultural-Tourism-Charter-English1.pdf. Accessed 12 Mar 2018
Ishizaka A, Nemery P, Lidouh K (2013) Location selection for the construction of a casino in the Greater London region: a triple multi-criteria approach. Tour Manag 34:211–220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2012.05.003
Jafari J (1996) Tourism and culture: an inquiry into paradoxes. In: Proceedings of a round table. Culture, tourism, development: Crucial issues for the XXIst century, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, 26–27 June 1996. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0010/001085/108539Eo.pdf. Accessed 23 Feb 2018
Khan H, Seng CF, Cheong WK (1990) Tourism multiplier effects on Singapore. Ann Tourism Res 17(3):408–418
Kim C-J, Yoo WS, Lee U-K, Song K-J, Kang K-I, Cho H (2010) An experience curve-based decision support model for prioritizing restoration needs of cultural heritage. J Cult Heritage 11(4):430–437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2010.03.004
Klamer A (2004) Cultural goods are good for more than their economic value. In: Rao V, Walton M (eds) Culture and Public Action. Stanford University Press, Stanford, CA, pp 138–162
Klamer A (2016) The value-based approach to cultural economics. J Cult Econ 40(4):365–373. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10824-016-9283-8
Klamer A (ed) (2017) Doing the right thing: a value based economy, 2nd edn. Ubiquity Press, London
Lakshmi TM, Venkatesan VP (2014) A comparison of various normalization in techniques for order performance by Similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). Int J Comput Algorithm 3:882–888
Mailly D, Abi-Zeid I, Pepin S (2013) A multi-criteria classification approach for identifying favourable climates for Tourism. J Multi-Criteria Decision Anal 21(1–2):65–75. https://doi.org/10.1002/mcda.1507
Mason P (ed) (2016) Tourism impacts, planning and management, 3rd edn. Routledge, London
Massieu A (2006) Managing economic impacts, tourism satellite accounts and observatories. In: Buhalis B, Costa C (eds) Tourism management dynamics: trends, management and tools. Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, pp 229–235
Matarasso F (ed) (2001) Recognising Culture: a series of briefing papers on culture and development, Da Costa Print: The Book Factory, London. http://www.culturenet.cz/res/data/004/000567.pdf. Accessed 16 Mar 2018
Mathouraparsad S, Maurin A (2017) Measuring the multiplier effects of tourism industry to the economy. Adv Management & Applied Economics 7(2):123–157
Mazzanti M (2002) Cultural heritage as multi-dimensional, multi-value and multi-attribute economic good: toward a new framework for economic analysis and valuation. J Socio-Econ 31(5):529–558. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1053-5357(02)00133-6
Mela K, Tiainen T, Heinisuo M (2012) Comparative study of multiple criteria decision making methods for building design. Adv Eng Inform 26:716–726. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aei.2012.03.001
Michailidou AV, Vlachokostas C, Moussiopoulos N (2016) Interactions between climate change and the tourism sector: Multiple-criteria decision analysis to assess mitigation and adaptation options in tourism areas. Tour Manag 55:1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2016.01.010
Munda G. (2005) Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis and Sustainable Development. In: Figueira JR, Greco S, Ehrgott M (eds) Multiple criteria decision analysis: state of the art surveys. international series in operations research and management science, vol 78. Springer, New York, pp 953–986. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-23081-5_23
Munda G. (2016) Multiple criteria decision analysis and sustainable development. In: Greco S, Ehrgott M, Figueira JR (eds) Multiple criteria decision analysis: state of the art surveys, vol 1/2, 2nd edn. International series in operations research and management science, vol 233. Springer, New York, pp 1235–1268. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3094-4
Necissa Y (2011) Cultural heritage as a resource: its role in the sustainability of urban developments. The case of Tlemcen Algeria. Procedia Eng 21:874–882. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2011.11.2089
Noonan DS (2003) Contingent valuation and cultural resources: a meta-analytic review of the literature. J Cult Econ 27:159–176. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026371110799
NWHO (1999) Sustainable tourism and cultural heritage: a review of development assistance and its potential to promote sustainability. http://www.msu.ac.zw/elearning/material/1329113217culture_fulltext%5B1%5D.pdf. Accessed 13 Mar 2018
Ordem São Francisco do Porto (nd) http://ordemsaofrancisco.pt/instituicao/. Accessed 6 Feb 2018
O portal de notícias do Porto (2018) Porto vence o prestigiado world excellence award para a cidade europeia mais amiga daschoi startups. http://www.porto.pt/noticias/porto-vence-o-prestigiado-world-excellence-award-para-a-cidade-europeia-mais-amiga-das-startups-). Accessed 24 Feb 2018
Richards G (2001) The development of cultural tourism in Europe. In: Richards G (ed) Cultural attractions and European Tourism. CABI, Wallingford, pp 3–30
Richards G, Wilson J (2004) Social networks, culture and tourism in Catalunya. Paper presented at the ATLAS Annual Conference: Networking and partnerships in destination development and management, Naples, 4–6 April 2004
Robinson M, Picard D (2006) Tourism, culture and sustainable development. Société Édition Provence, Nîmes. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001475/147578e.pdf. Accessed 9 Mar 2018
Rusu S (2011) Tourism multiplier effect. J Econ Bus Res 17(1):70–76
Serralves (2018) The foundation. https://www.serralves.pt/en/foundation/the-foundation/. Accessed 5 Feb 2018
Smith MK (2007) Space, place and placelessness in the culturally regenerated city. In: Richards G (ed) Cultural tourism: global and local perspectives. Haworth Press, New York, pp 91–108
Swarbrooke J (1999) Sustainable tourism management. CABI, Wallingford
The World Bank (2018) International tourism, receipts (current US$). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ST.INT.RCPT.CD. Accessed 25 Mar 2018
Thórhallsdóttir TE (2007) Environment and energy in Iceland: a comparative analysis of values and impacts. Environ Impact Assess Rev 27(6):522–544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2006.12.004
Throsby D (2001) Economics and culture. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Torre dos Clérigos (2018) History and architecture. Tower, museum, church. http://www.torredosclerigos.pt/en/history-and-architecture/tower-brotherhood-museum-church/. Accessed 7 Feb 2018
Triantaphyllou E, Shu B, Nieto Sanchez S, Ray T (1998) Multi-criteria decision making: an operations research approach. In: Webster JG (ed) Encyclopedia of electrical and electronics engineering, vol 15. Wiley. New York, NY, pp 175–186
UNWTO (nd). Cultural Heritage. http://sdt.unwto.org/en/content/cultural-heritage-1. Accessed 21 Feb 2018
Wang H-J, Zeng Z-T (2010) A multi-objective decision-making process for reuse selection of historic buildings. Expert Syst Appl 37(2):1241–1249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2009.06.034
World Economic Forum (2017) The travel and tourism competitiveness report 2017: paving the way for a more sustainable and inclusive future. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TTCR_2017_web_0401.pdf. Accessed 2 Feb 2018
World Travel Awards (nd) World Winners 2017. https://www.worldtravelawards.com/winners/2017/world. Accessed 30 Jan 2018
Yan L, Gao BW, Zhang M (2017) A mathematical model for tourism potential assessment. Tour Manag 63:355–365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.07.003
Yoon KP, Hwang CL (eds) (1995) Multiple attribute decision making: an introduction. Sage University paper series on quantitative applications in the social sciences, Sage publications, Thousand Oaks
Zardari NH, Ahmed K, Shirazi SM, Yusop ZB (2015) Weighting methods and their effects on multi-criteria decision making model outcomes in water resources management. Springer Briefs in Water Science and Technology, Springer, New York. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12586-2
Zavadskas EK, Mardani A, Turskis Z, Jusoh A, Nor KMD (2016) Development of TOPSIS method to solve complicated decision-making problems—an overview on developments from 2000 to 2015. Int J Inf Technol Decis Making 15(3):645–682. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0219622016300019
Zhang H, Gu C, Gu L, Zhang Y (2011) The evaluation of tourism destination competitiveness by TOPSIS & information entropy—a case in the Yangtze River Delta of China. Tour Manag 32(2):443–451. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2010.02.007
Zhou Y, Maumbe K, Deng J, Selin SW (2015) Resource-based destination competitiveness evaluation using a hybrid analytic hierarchy process (AHP): the case study of West Virginia. Tourism Manag Perspect 15:72–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2015.03.007
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Stević, I., Stević, S.R., de Jesus Breda, Z.M. (2019). Application of MCDM Methods to Tourism Evaluation of Cultural Sites. In: Obad Šćitaroci, M., Bojanić Obad Šćitaroci, B., Mrđa, A. (eds) Cultural Urban Heritage. The Urban Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10612-6_24
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10612-6_24
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-10611-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-10612-6
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)