Evaluating investment potential tourism centers using integrated model of fuzzy Shannon’s entropy and fuzzy ARAS method

Prioritizing tourism poles can be a benchmark for centralizing as well as determining tourist attractions and moderating inequality between regions and is a step in formulating a tourism development plan. The purpose of this research is to evaluate and prioritize tourism centers based on integrated fuzzy Shannon’s entropy model and fuzzy additive ratio assessment (ARAS) method. For this purpose, first, the indicators affecting the development of tourism centers in the three areas of natural-ecological, spatial-physical-service, and socio-economic are identified using the literature and expert’s opinions. After collecting the data in the form of triangular fuzzy numbers, the importance and weight of each criterion in the development of tourism centers are identified by the fuzzy Shannon’s entropy method. Then, using the fuzzy ARAS method, tourism centers are evaluated and prioritized and those with the most potential for investment are identified.