Application of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Techniques (ANP) in order to Optimize Management by Prioritizing the Specific Areas of Tourism (Case Study: Yazd Province)

Knowing natural and human potentials of each area makes it possible for the development planning to be done based on the current situation and its potential. Typical tourism areas of the country are one of the key issues in policy making and tourism development, where attracting private sector investment, will provide sustainable regional development. The aim of this study is choosing a touristic area between the three regions Khranq, Saryazd and Narin Castle in Yazd province. The data was collected using documentaries and field research and data collection tool is a questionnaire with simple random sampling. In this study, to select and prioritize the tourism area, ANP (Analytic Network Process) of multi-criteria decision making techniques were used. Results obtained from AHP analysis showed that, taking into account the environmental criteria, tourism potential, economic potential and the role and impact of weight management, Mehriz Saryazd area is more adequate than the other two regions for investments in Yazd province. Narin Castle is second by a small margin. Also according to the technique used in the prioritization and the results, the pattern can be used for planning for the areas of other provinces.