This study aims to evaluate land suitability for establishing tourist resorts in the Wilaya of Khenchela, a region distinguished by unique natural and historical assets that position it as a prospective tourism destination. The analysis methodology integrates Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to identify the most suitable sites for tourism investment. The study classified the criteria into major categories: tourism criteria (proximity to tourist resources), economic criteria (proximity to roads and population centers), and environmental and topographic criteria (slope, elevation, terrain aspect, vegetation cover NDVI, fire risk, and air purity AOD). Relative weights were assigned to these criteria based on expert opinions, then spatially processed using GIS tools to generate a tourism suitability map. Results show that the most suitable areas concentrate near tourist resources and main roads, enhancing investment feasibility in these locations. The integration of environmental and topographic factors helps ensure sustainability and mitigate risks associated with tourism projects. The findings emphasize the importance of adopting quantitative and transparent analytical tools in tourism investment planning, supporting sustainable local development, and strengthening Khenchela?s position as a national and regional tourism destination.
Siham et al. (Wed,) studied this question.