Designing a Model of Ecotourism Management Requirements Using SWARA and DEMATEL Methods

Abstract

This study aimed to identify, prioritize, and analyze the causal relationships among ecotourism management requirements in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, using the SWARA and DEMATEL methods. This applied study was conducted using a descriptive–analytical approach. The statistical population consisted of 25 experts, including tourism practitioners and academic specialists familiar with ecotourism management in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, selected through purposive snowball sampling. Initially, 48 sub-criteria were extracted from the literature and categorized into five dimensions: planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and monitoring. Subsequently, the Delphi technique was employed to finalize 24 key requirements based on expert consensus. The SWARA method was used to determine the relative importance of the identified requirements, while the DEMATEL method was applied to analyze the causal and effect relationships among them. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed using multi-criteria decision-making techniques. The SWARA results indicated that “defining and clarifying long-term and short-term objectives,” “monitoring compliance with guidelines,” and “determining tourism development priorities based on risk analysis” were the most important ecotourism management requirements. DEMATEL findings further revealed that “defining and clarifying objectives,” “directing based on sustainable resource management principles,” and “directing through effective stakeholder communication” were the most influential causal variables within the system. Conversely, “controlling environmental impacts,” “forecasting and planning tourism infrastructure and services,” and “monitoring compliance with guidelines” were identified as the most affected variables. The results demonstrated that effective ecotourism management depends on coherent managerial drivers, institutional coordination, and sustainable resource governance. The findings demonstrated that ecotourism management in Sulaymaniyah operates as a multidimensional and interconnected system in which strategic and managerial drivers play a decisive role in achieving sustainable tourism development. The proposed model provides tourism managers and policymakers with a practical framework for identifying strategic priorities, optimizing resource allocation, enhancing institutional coordination, and mitigating environmental impacts, thereby facilitating the sustainable development of ecotourism in the region.