Multi-criteria approach for measuring stakeholder perception on the impacts of tourism policy

Abstract

Recognizing the role stakeholders have in the tourism development process, this paper focuses on assessing tourism impacts related to the tourism policy priorities from the point of view of destination stakeholders in three well-known tourism destinations in the South Bohemian Region in the Czech Republic. Its aim is to analyze stakeholder perception of tourism impacts and identify such priorities which have the greatest anticipated impacts on developing a given destination. The research is based on a mix of qualitative research approach and innovative application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The representatives of three stakeholder groups provide the researchers with information about the importance of economic and non-economic tourism impacts and contributions of tourism policy’s strategic priorities to four categories of tourism impacts. Based on comprehensive data analysis, the researchers construct a three-level hierarchical structure mapping the importance of various tourism impacts, then sorting the priorities with respect to stakeholder preferences, and finally identifying a gap between the actual and preferred orientations of tourism policy. In such a way, the paper offers a comprehensive recipe for local governments which can be instrumental in realizing tourism policy while being able to promote the most important impacts of tourism on destination’s development from the point of view of destination stakeholders.