Sustainable Tourism Assessment: A QGIS Plugin Approach for Integrated Economic, Environmental, and Social Indice.

1. Introduction

2. Materials and Methods

3.1. Sustainability Adjustment

The sustainability adjustment (Adj) primarily occurs after the sustainability assessment. However, this does not mean that no immediate modifications should be made in the face of unpredictable variations in sustainability performance.

The process of adjusting tourism sustainability involves assessing the situation resulting from previous decisions to correct or enhance problematic situations. In practice, this assessment aims to adapt and improve current actions at time tk in relation to future actions at time tk+1. This involves evaluating the model's return values concerning the corresponding indicators and their norms, with specific tolerances. The resulting adjustments, in the form of recommendations and notes, are then assigned to stakeholders based on their respective responsibilities.

Les ajustements sont révisés selon trois critères principaux :

Durabilité la plus mauvaise : Cette situation au temps t_k se produit si l'on obtient

$$I_i^{\mathrm{*}}\left({\mathrm{t}}_k\right)-{S_i^{\mathrm{*}}+\tau }_{tk}<1$$

(9)

In this case, the immediate recommendation is to correct the underlying defective indicators by improving their subsequent state according to the relationship:

$$I_i^{\mathrm{*}}\left(t_{k+1}\right)+{\tau }_{k+1}=I_i^{\mathrm{*}}\left(t\right)+{\tau }_{tk}+{Adj}_{\left(t\right)},Adj>0$$

(10)

where the parameter Adj represents a relative magnitude added to the failing indicators to achieve the performances and objectives aimed at by decision-makers and/or responsible stakeholders.

Minimizing Tolerance: The tolerance should be reduced to its cancellation. It should be chosen as a decreasing value that tends toward 0, i.e., $\tau \to 0$.

$${\tau }_i>{\tau }_{i+1}>{\tau }_{i+2}>\dots 0$$

(11)

Stabilizing or Increasing Norm Values: At each time period t_k, for the elementary composite indices, this consequently improves the overall state of sustainability.

Table 1. Calculated Indices by the Plugins.

Table 1. Calculated Indices by the Plugins.

Nomination	Index	Formula
Composite Economic Indicator	${\mathrm{I}\mathrm{C}}_{\left(\mathrm{t}\right)}^{\mathrm{e}\mathrm{c}}$	${\mathbf{C}\mathbf{I}}_{\left(\mathbf{t}\right)}^{\mathbf{e}\mathbf{c}}≔{\left({\displaystyle \sum _{\mathbf{i}=1}^{\mathbf{l}}}{\mathsf{\alpha }}_{\mathbf{i}}\right)}^{-1}{\displaystyle \sum _{\mathbf{i}=1}^{\mathbf{l}}}{\mathsf{\alpha }}_{\mathbf{i}}\mathbf{F}({\mathbf{I}}_{\mathbf{i}}^{\mathbf{e}\mathbf{c}}\left(\mathbf{t}\right){-\mathbf{S}}_{\mathbf{i}}^{\mathbf{e}\mathbf{c}}+\frac{\mathsf{\tau }}{\mathit{t}})$
Composite Environmental Indicator	${\mathrm{I}\mathrm{C}}_{\left(\mathrm{t}\right)}^{\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}}$	${\mathbf{C}\mathbf{I}}_{\left(\mathbf{t}\right)}^{\mathbf{e}\mathbf{n}}≔{\left({\displaystyle \sum _{\mathbf{i}=1}^{\mathit{m}}}{\mathsf{\beta }}_{\mathbf{i}}\right)}^{-1}{\displaystyle \sum _{\mathbf{i}=1}^{\mathbf{m}}}{\mathsf{\beta }}_{\mathbf{i}}\mathbf{F}\left({\mathbf{I}}_{\mathbf{i}}^{\mathbf{e}\mathbf{n}}\left(\mathbf{t}\right){-\mathbf{S}}_{\mathbf{i}}^{\mathbf{e}\mathbf{n}}+\frac{\mathsf{\tau }}{\mathit{t}}\right)$
Composite Social Indicator	${\mathrm{I}\mathrm{C}}_{\left(\mathrm{t}\right)}^{so}$	${\mathbf{C}\mathbf{I}}_{\left(\mathbf{t}\right)}^{\mathit{s}\mathit{o}}≔{\left({\displaystyle \sum _{\mathbf{i}=1}^{\mathit{n}}}{\mathsf{\gamma }}_{\mathbf{i}}\right)}^{-1}{\displaystyle \sum _{\mathbf{i}=1}^{\mathbf{n}}}{\mathsf{\gamma }}_{\mathbf{i}}\mathbf{F}({\mathbf{I}}_{\mathbf{i}}^{\mathbf{s}\mathbf{o}}\left(\mathbf{t}\right){-\mathbf{S}}_{\mathbf{i}}^{\mathbf{s}\mathbf{o}}+\frac{\mathsf{\tau }}{\mathit{t}})$
Global Sustainability Index	${\mathrm{G}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{I}}_{\left(t\right)}$	${\mathbf{G}\mathbf{S}\mathbf{I}}_{\left(\mathit{t}\right)}={\left({\displaystyle \sum _{\mathbf{i}=1}^3}{\mathsf{\delta }}_{\mathbf{i}}\right)}^{-1}{(\mathsf{\delta }}_1\mathbf{C}{\mathbf{I}}_{\mathbf{i}}^{\mathbf{e}\mathbf{c}}\left(\mathbf{t}\right)+{\mathsf{\delta }}_2\left(\mathbf{C}{\mathbf{I}}_{\mathbf{i}}^{\mathbf{e}\mathbf{n}}\right(\mathbf{t})+{\mathsf{\delta }}_3(\mathbf{C}{\mathbf{I}}_{\mathbf{i}}^{\mathbf{s}\mathbf{o}}\left(\mathbf{t}\right))$
Adjustment Process	Adj(t)	${\mathit{I}}_{\mathit{i}}^{\mathbf{*}}\left({\mathit{t}}_{\mathit{k}+1}\right)$+ ${\mathit{\tau }}_{\mathit{k}+1}$= ${\mathit{I}}_{\mathit{i}}^{\mathbf{*}}\left(\mathit{t}\right)$+ ${\mathit{\tau }}_{\mathit{t}\mathit{k}}$+ a

3.3. Tabs for calculating composite indices of the three components ${CI}_{\left(t\right)}^{en},{CI}_{\left(t\right)}^{so}$

Figure 2. Tab for Composite Economic Index ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{I}}_{\left(\mathrm{t}\right)}^{ec}$.

Figure 2. Tab for Composite Economic Index ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{I}}_{\left(\mathrm{t}\right)}^{ec}$.

Figure 3. Tab for Composite Environmental Index ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{I}}_{\left(\mathrm{t}\right)}^{\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}}.$

Figure 3. Tab for Composite Environmental Index ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{I}}_{\left(\mathrm{t}\right)}^{\mathrm{e}\mathrm{n}}.$

Figure 4. Tab for Composite Economic Index ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{I}}_{\left(\mathrm{t}\right)}^{so}$.

Figure 4. Tab for Composite Economic Index ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{I}}_{\left(\mathrm{t}\right)}^{so}$.

The tabs for calculating composite indices CI ^(ec), CI ^(en), CI ^(so) allow the assessment of the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of the previously georeferenced tourist areas. This window requires the input of data, including the calculation time, component indicators, associated weights, associated standards, and tolerance. This data should result from consensus among stakeholders acting in the studied area. The user can choose from a pre-prepared list (connected to a csv file) validated by [29] the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and their standards if they are recognized, such as air pollution [30] (Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂) µg/m³ Health protection limit value 125th percentile of daily averages 99.2%). The obtained result appears on the map based on the parameters selected by the user, and a preview of it appears once a zone is selected.

Figure 5. Selection of the tourist area.

Figure 5. Selection of the tourist area.

3.4. Tab for Calculating the Overall Sustainability Index (${GSI}_{\left(t\right)})$

The GSI(t) tab (Figure 5) allows the assessment of overall sustainability by combining the three previously calculated composite indicators according to equation (8). Once the GSI calculation is done, the information will be loaded into the layer in the study area (attribute table). The insertion of data into the attribute table is done automatically. This data can be used by the user to provide more interpretations and illustrations, giving an idea of the severity of non-sustainability and allowing users to generate the necessary adjustments.

Figure 6. Assessment of the sustainability of the tourist zone.

Figure 6. Assessment of the sustainability of the tourist zone.

3.4. Tab for Adjustment (Adj)

The Adjustment tab (Figure 4) brings together the defective indicators, their category (component to which they belong), their weights, and the adjustments to be made. It also contains a table describing the proposed recommendations, with their values progressing according to their severity, translated by their deviation from the indicator and its standard. It starts with urgent, goes through very urgent, and finally reaches the catastrophic state of the indicator. The calculation here is executed according to equation (11), which represents the deviation of the indicator from its standard.

Figure 7. Tab for adjustments of indicators and recommendations.

Figure 7. Tab for adjustments of indicators and recommendations.

3.6. Application of the model

The sustainability performance study proposed was conducted for the initial time period (t1) starting from the year 2018 due to the absence of recent data. The characteristics of the Medina of Tangier are primarily based on historical and cultural potentials. Services provided and the relationship with the local community are also crucial aspects. Considering these factors, the collected data were chosen based on the selected indicators to be implemented in the evaluation model given by equations (3)-(4)-(5)-(6).

Primary data for this study were obtained through meetings with the stakeholders involved in the Observatory for the Protection of the Environment and Historical Monuments of Tangier. Additional information was gathered from the Tourism Delegation of Tangier. The collected information was then analyzed and categorized with respect to the chosen indicators along with their associated standards and tolerance.

Table 2. List of Indicators in 2018.

Table 2. List of Indicators in 2018.

Indicator	Component	Values	Standard	Weighting	Tolerance
Hotel capacity	Economy	290	250	2	0.05
Number of visitors	Economy	12060	15000	3	0.05
Number of potential consumers	Economy	10000	9800	1	0.05
Number of tourist projects (residences, crafts, transportation...)	Economy	69	70	4	0.05
Number of permanently polluting vehicles: buses, taxis, and personal cars*	Environment	956	950	5	0.05
Quantity of household waste collected per inhabitant	Environment	83055	80000	3	0.05
Public transport supply per inhabitant km/person/year	Environment	22	25	1	0.05
Green area	Environment	4	7	1	0.05
Number of interventions (national security)	Society	45	50	3	0.05
Historical monuments restored (number of actions) per year	Society	3	10	2	0.05
Number of local cultural and artistic activities	Society	22	20	2	0.05
Number of active women per 100 active men	Society	52	50	2	0.05

*Inverted indicator (I^en)^-1.

Figure 7. The indicator composite economic figure of the Medina of Tangier.

Figure 7. The indicator composite economic figure of the Medina of Tangier.

Figure 8. Composite environmental indicator of the Medina of Tangier.

Figure 8. Composite environmental indicator of the Medina of Tangier.

Figure 9. Composite social indicator of the Medina of Tangier.

Figure 9. Composite social indicator of the Medina of Tangier.

Figure 10. Global Sustainability Index of the Medina of Tangier.

Figure 10. Global Sustainability Index of the Medina of Tangier.

Figure 11. Adjustments of Deficient Indicators in the Medina of Tangier.

Figure 11. Adjustments of Deficient Indicators in the Medina of Tangier.

4. Results analysis

5. Conclusion

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