Article
Geospatial Analysis of Geo-Ecotourism Site Suitability Using
AHP and GIS for Sustainable and Resilient Tourism Planning
in West Bengal, India
Aditi Acharya 1, Biraj Kanti Mondal 2,*, Tuhin Bhadra 1, Kamal Abdelrahman 3, Prabuddh Kumar Mishra 4,
Anuj Tiwari 5 and Rima Das 6
Citation: Acharya, A.; Mondal, B.K.;
Bhadra, T.; Abdelrahman, K.;
Mishra, P.K.; Tiwari, A.; Das, R.
Geospatial Analysis of
Geo-Ecotourism Site Suitability
Using AHP and GIS for Sustainable
and Resilient Tourism Planning in
West Bengal, India. Sustainability
2022, 14, 2422. https://doi.org/
10.3390/su14042422
Academic Editor: Hone-Jay Chu
Received: 25 January 2022
Accepted: 9 February 2022
Published: 20 February 2022
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neu-
tral with regard to jurisdictional
claims in published maps and institu-
tional affiliations.
Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Li-
censee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
This article is an open access article
distributed under the terms and con-
ditions of the Creative Commons At-
tribution (CC BY) license (https://cre-
ativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042422
1 Department of Geography, Adamas University, Kolkata 700126, India; aditidst@gmail.com (A.A.);
tuhin.bhadra@adamasuniversity.ac.in (T.B.)
2 Department of Geography, Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkata 700064, India
3 Department of Geology and Geophysics, College of Science, King Saud University,
Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; khassanein@ksu.edu.sa
4 Department of Geography, Shivaji College, University of Delhi, New Delhi 110027, India;
prabuddh@shivaji.du.ac.in
5 Discovery Partner Institute, University of Illinois System, Chicago, IL 60606, USA; anujt@uic.edu
6 Department of Geography, Bhangar Mahavidyalaya, South 24 Parganas, Bhangar 743502, India;
mampirimadas@gmail.com
* Correspondence: birajmondal.kolkata@gmail.com
Abstract: The current study intended to geospatially analyze the potentiality and site suitability of
geo-ecotourism in West Bengal, India. The state of West Bengal is a great platform for diverse tour-
ism and has enormous potential to cultivate geo-ecotourism, as has come up in recent years. The
current effort throws some valuable light on the possibility of turning the many geologically, geo-
morphologically and ecologically significant tourist spots of West Bengal into geo-ecotourism sites,
aided with geospatial techniques. The study deals with the qualitative and quantitative investiga-
tion of the potentiality of the whole state by dividing it into several geo-ecotourism zones, based on
its physiographic setting and Land Use Land Cover (LULC) features, using satellite image data. The
application of geospatial technology combined with Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Infor-
mation System (GIS) was employed for this geospatial analysis to portray the potential zones using
cartographic and statistical techniques. Furthermore, nine criteria were selected to run the Analytic
Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to determine the site suitability for geo-ecotourism. The present
submission attempts to record the mapping and analysis of geo-ecotourism of West Bengal employ-
ing a secondary database, an expert's opinions and primary observations, with the application of
the AHP method and GIS. The outcomes of the study were found to be very significant, as they
indicate a proviso for geo-ecotourism development in the state and will contribute to the formation
of location-specific planning and the sustainable management of geo-ecotourism.
Keywords: geo-ecotourism; GIS; AHP; geospatial; sustainable tourism; West Bengal
1. Introduction
Geo-ecotourism is the perfect blend of geotourism, which encourages the population
to become interested in the sustainable preservation of places by allowing them to appre-
ciate historical heritage sites or geological landscapes and ecotourism, which aims at pre-
serving the place’s natural and cultural resources. It is a combination of the two words
‘geo’ and ‘eco’, implying that it refers to the interrelationships between abiotic compo-
nents, such as natural landscapes or heritage sites, and biotic components, such as the
flora and fauna and local residents of a place [1]. Geo-ecotourism seeks to capture the
essence of a place. Geo-ecotourism is a type of travelling that helps us to preserve or
www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 2 of 25

enhance the environment, indigenous features, cultural aesthetics and the geographical
uniqueness of a given place. Ecotourism mainly comprises cherishing the flora and fauna
of a place, the interdependency between the environment and the indigenous local people
and the idiosyncratic culture and norms of that region. Geotourism, on the other hand,
prizes historic and archaeological structures, traditional architecture, geological land-
scape and geological relics found in that place. Geological relics include structures that
have been brought up from under the Earth’s surface by both endogenic and exogenic
processes, such as karst topography, soil profiles, etc. Putting these two types of tourism
together forms the concept of geo-ecotourism, which is new and thus has enormous po-
tential.
The tourism industry of India is ranked seventh in the world, as reported by the
World Travel and Tourism Council [2] and is considered one of the most significant con-
tributors to the world’s GDP. In India, for the last decade, the tourism trend has shown a
sharp rise. Most tourists travel with a variety of intentions, and hence, geo-ecotourism
provides plenty of options for a tourist. People have started travelling to lesser-known
destinations alongside popular vacation spots. The mass tourism industry has enabled
even low-income and middle-income groups to travel to places they have never travelled
to before. The improvement in transport and communication networks and the drop in
the prices of domestic travel, together with the increase in the purchasing power of people,
have made domestic tourism widely popular. In 2019, more than 2.3 billion domestic trips
were made within the country, an improvement over the previous year [3]. However, re-
grettably, this has caused a lot of environmental degradation. As the influx of tourists has
increased in these secluded spots, which are mostly detached from the urban pace of life
and rich with picturesque beauty, the demand for luxury staycation experiences has also
increased, increasing the pressure on these places. In addition, over the years, the Geolog-
ical Survey of India (GSI) has identified many geographically unique and exotic land-
scapes suitable for tourism sites, but there is still a lack of initiative in terms of promoting,
sustaining and maintaining these sites. Given the unawareness and ignorance of such sites
and the significant menace of over-tourism, geo-ecotourism may be the only way to pop-
ularize and commercialize these tourism sites while simultaneously conserving them,
which would benefit not only our country but also the entire world.
Previous research on geo-ecotourism, ecotourism and related issues has been under-
taken [1,4–22] to understand recent trends and the logical coherence of these patterns. In
recent years, in the area of sustainable tourism, geological parks have become a well-ap-
preciated topic around the world. With rising trends of geo-tourism and geo-ecotourism
in Asian countries such as Japan, Turkey, Indonesia, etc., geological parks promise to con-
serve landscapes and geographical structures, alongside making these structures popular
among tourists [1,14–22]. However, geo-ecotourism differs from the concept of geological
parks, as it focuses on the central aspects of geotourism—that is, the preservation of geo-
graphical landscape and land formation processes—and of ecotourism—primarily con-
centrating on the interrelationship between the ecosystem and the communities within
that place.
Numerous studies have been performed on ecotourism, but most of the works on
geo-ecotourism have been completed at the microlevel and are mostly related to other
countries [1,14,21,22]. While some significant works on ecotourism and geotourism in In-
dia [23–41], and specifically in West Bengal [42–52], have been performed, very few stud-
ies have considered site suitability analyses [53–56] or the potential applicability of GIS
[16,17,19,20,57–62]. Therefore, this kind of study on geo-ecotourism is incredibly new for
India and especially for West Bengal. Thus, the rationale of the current study is that it aims
to cultivate geospatial techniques to promote geo-ecotourism, and for this purpose, the
Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method is employed to assess site suitability and de-
termine potential geo-ecotourism zones in West Bengal.
West Bengal, in India, has strong potential for developing geo-ecotourism sites due
to the provision of biodiversity hotspots of the north-east Himalayan region, a portion of
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 3 of 25

which was found to be advancing into its northern part. For example, the Alipurduar dis-
trict of the state has vast scope for developing geo-ecotourism with its lush green scenery
and hilly streams. Aside from this, the state’s central part, comprising Birbhum, Bankura,
Purulia, Paschim Bardhaman, Purba Bardhaman, Jhargram and Purba Medinipur dis-
tricts, has immense potential for developing geo-ecotourism due to the presence of the
hills, river valleys, caves and badland areas. This lateritic landscape might not be suitable
for cultivation, but the picturesque beauty of the region induces the provision of tourism.
The Gangani badlands region, formed during the Pleistocene period, is famously known
as the ‘Grand Canyon of West Bengal’. The aesthetic beauty of this region lies within the
escarpments, buttes, mesas, caves, ridges and geomorphological sites. The Purulia district
is endowed with geoheritage sites that are attractive to tourists and holds immense aes-
thetic value. Places such as the Durgabera dam, Bhanratongri Hill and Garpanchkot and
Jaychandi hills are the most popular among tourists, encompassing the very best geoher-
itage values. In contrast, the Pordih Hills, Tamakhun Mine and Jabar Hills belong to the
lesser-known potential geo-ecotourism sites. Thus, this paper discusses the expansion of
the newer alternative geo-ecotourism industry and its potential in West Bengal rather than
of mass tourism or other types of tourism. The prime objective of the present study was
to look at the scope and potentiality of geo-ecotourism in West Bengal considering its
physiography, LULC etc. and recognize tourist spots by dividing the state into probable
geo-ecotourism zones and demonstrating their mapping. Furthermore, we recognized
and categorized the site suitability of geo-ecotourism spots with the help of the AHP
method and mapped out the study region by employing geospatial techniques to improve
the prospect of tourism.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Study Area
The current study was carried out in one of the smallest states of India with a sizeable
population base, i.e., West Bengal (Figure 1). This state is positioned in the eastern part of
India and surrounded by countries, such as Bangladesh in the east, Bhutan in the north
and many states, such as Sikkim in the north, Assam in the northeast and Bihar and Jhar-
khand in the west.
The capital of the state is Kolkata, which is a well-known megacity located on the left
bank of the Hooghly River. West Bengal is located between 21°25′ N 27°13′ N and 85°50′
E 89°50′ E. The state previously had 19 districts; since 2018, however, there have been 23
districts.
The total population of West Bengal is 91.3 million (Census, 2011 ), which constitutes
about 7.54% of the total population of India, and this figure reached approximately 100.9
million in the year 2020. The population density is extremely high (1028 persons/km2) in
the state with a high rate of growth (13.84% in 2011) [63]. The Gross State Domestic Prod-
uct (GSDP) of the state is predicted to exceed 14.44 trillion in 2020–2021 [2,64], which sig-
nifies that the state has a sound contribution to the National Gross Domestic Product
(NGDP). Almost every district has some special features in terms of tourism, and there-
fore, the state is famous for its landscape and nature, including hills, wildlife, forests and
beaches; its cultural, heritage, religious, waterways, traditional, ethnic, urban, rural and
tribal aspects; and its historical forms of tourism. Moreover, tourist spots, such as Darjee-
ling, Kalimpong, Sandakphu, Dooars, Jaldapara, Murshidabad, Gour, Gorumara, Bish-
nupur, Purulia, Shantiniketan, Belur Math, Dakshineswar, Kalighat, Tarapith, Nabadwip,
Mayapur, Digha, Mandarmoni, Bakkhali, Gangasagar, Sundarbans, Kolkata, etc., are
known to every tourist who visits or is willing to visit West Bengal [42–52].
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 4 of 25

Figure 1. Location map of the study area.

2.2. Methodology
The present study mostly employed secondary data with significant primary infor-
mation and an expert's opinions and followed a suitable methodology. The structural
framework of the study had some sequential steps, which are graphed below (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Structural framework of the study.

2.3. Data Used

The remotely sensed data and topographical sheets used in the study and the spatial
and non-spatial data and their corresponding sources are listed below (Table 1).
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 5 of 25

Table 1. Different types of datasets used in the study.

Data Sources
Topographical Sheets (R.F.-1:50,000) Survey of India, 1968–1969
Landsat ETM+ Satellite Image Google Earth, USGS, 2020
Physiography Map Shuttle Radar Topography Mission Data, 2020
Bhuvan (http://bhuvan.nrsc.gov.in, 2017, Accessed
Land Use Land Cover (LULC) Map
on 27 November 2021)
Census of India, Economic Review, Statistical Ab-
Socioeconomic Data
stract, 2011

2.4. Data Processing

2.4.1. Data Analysis
The study employed various data using geospatial techniques and methods, such as
AHP, statistical techniques, and cartographic tools; therefore, the collected data were an-
alyzed by the ArcGIS (10.3), Edras Imagine (9.2), Mapinfo (10.2) software and Microsoft
excel.

2.4.2. Criteria and Numerical Rating for AHP Method

The application of the AHP method was carried out in the current effort twice: ini-
tially to examine the suitability of geo-ecotourism in West Bengal and again in a case study
of the coastal geo-ecotourism region of West Bengal. Initially, the eleven factors, namely
relief, slope, drainage, forest, population concentration, the number of tourist spots, infrastructure,
health facilities, road density, scenic beauty and land use land cover were considered for geo-
ecotourism suitability in West Bengal. Further, the study concentrated on nine criteria,
which included land use/land cover, geomorphology (beach length), existing major infrastructure
facilities, existing transport facility, distance of beach from the village, distance from the nearest
town, distance from the nearest railway station, distance from nearest cyclone centre and distance
from nearest health facility for overlay analysis by the AHP method based on the expert's
opinions to determine the site suitability for geo-ecotourism sites in coastal tracts as a mi-
crolevel study.
The comparison between two criteria was carried out using the relative importance
scale for two alternatives as suggested by Saaty (1980) [65] as it is the most widely used in
the AHP. Attributing values from 1 to 9 were considered in this study, (Table 2) which
determined the relative importance of an alternative when compared with another alter-
native.

Table 2. Saaty’s Scale of relative importance.

Scale Numerical Rating Reciprocal

Extremely Preferred 9 1/9
Very Strong to Extremely 8 1/8
Very Strongly Preferred 7 1/7
Strong to Very Strongly 6 1/6
Strongly Preferred 5 1/5
Moderately to Strongly 4 1/4
Moderately Preferred 3 1/3
Equally to Moderately 2 1/2
Equally Preferred 1 1
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 6 of 25

2.4.3. Steps for Calculation in AHP Method

The application of the AHP method determined geo-ecotourism suitability in West
Bengal and site suitability analysis in its coastal tracts in a logical way, the calculation
steps of which are described below:
• The 1st Step of the AHP procedure is to form a pair-wise comparison between each
criterion. The results of the comparison (for each factor pair) describe a term with
integer values from 1 (equal value) to 9 (extreme value), where a higher number in-
dicates the chosen factors are considered to be more important and are of greater
value.
• 2nd Step is completing the matrix.
• 3rd Step is normalization (To make the sum of the weightage of the selected criteria
equal to 1 (one), this normalization process was applied. It was performed on the
pair-wise comparison matrix and calculated by dividing each criterion’s value from
the column with the sum of the corresponding column) and weight determination.
• 4th Step is calculating the Consistency Ratio (CR).

Consistency Ratio (CR) = Consistency Index (CI)/Random Consistency Index (RI) (1)
Here, if the CR > 0.10, then some pair-wise values need to checked, and if the CR <
0.01, then the value is acceptable.

3. Results
3.1. Trend of Tourist Arrival in West Bengal
The tourist influx and trend of domestic and foreign tourist arrival in West Bengal
are important to note to understand the pressure of tourism bustle in the state and the
requirements and scope of geo-ecotourism analysis. According to the Department of
Tourism, Govt. of West Bengal, the place experiencing the most tourism is Kolkata (State
Capital), followed by Darjeeling with Dooars (foothill region), Darjeeling (hilly region)
and Digha, Mandarmani (coastal region) along with Sundarbans and followed by the Rarh
region. This reveals that the trend of tourist arrival in West Bengal (Figure 3) showed a
gradually increasing pattern observed from 2005 up to 2013, while a sharp increase was
noticed in 2014, which represented an influx of 71.6 million tourists in 2015 [66–68]. The
trend of domestic tourist (Figures 4 and 5) arrival in West Bengal had a sharp increase
from the year 2014 and it crossed 70 million in 2015. Moreover, the number of foreign
tourists visiting West Bengal has also increased and reached almost 1.5 million in 2015.
The state is the fifth highest in the country in terms of foreign arrival (2015). Thus, the
tourism budget was increased to 2570 million (2015) from INR 400 to attract further do-
mestic and foreign tourists [64,66].

Trend of Tourist Arrival in West Bengal

80
70
71.6
60
Tourist (million)

50
50.4
40
30
20 26.7
21.7 22.3 23.5 23.9
19.7 20.4
10 14.5 16.5
0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Figure 3. Trend of tourist arrival in West Bengal.

Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 7 of 25

Figure 4. Domestic tourist arrival in West Bengal.

Figure 5. Foreign tourist arrival in West Bengal.

3.2. Tourism in West Bengal and Scope of Geo-Ecotourism

The state of West Bengal has great tourism potential, and it attracts a huge number
of domestic and foreign tourists every year in its various familiar and uncommon tourist
destinations. The geographical features of the mountain ranges, forests and sea beaches
of the state perform as imperative ingredients for the development of tourism. West Ben-
gal is the most unique state in India from a geographical perspective and thus attracts
tourists to an assortment of tourism sites throughout the year. The state has the Himala-
yan range in the north, the Chhotanagpur Plateau in the west and the Bay of Bengal in the
south, while the Rajmahal Hills skirt on the north-western side, and the Shillong Plateau
stands on the north-eastern border. The heavenly sight of the beautiful Himalayan moun-
tains from Darjeeling with their white snow cover has earned the place the title ‘Queen of
the Hill stations’. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, more commonly known as the Toy
Train, is famous as a ‘World Heritage Site’, pulling in tourists from all over the world who
flock to Darjeeling to ride this train [67,68]. The green forest, protected sanctuaries and
national parks thrive in the Terai region, and the foothills of the Himalayas are extremely
popular. Moreover, after Terai, the Dooars region is famous for national parks and wild-
life sanctuaries, which are habitats for numerous endangered animals, such as the one-
horned rhino, great Indian hornbills, pythons, elephants, leopards, etc. In these regions,
the Teesta, Rangit, Murti, Kurti, Lumbini, Jal Dhaka, etc., rivers are found frolicking, the
beauty of which attracts tourists from all over the world [42,43]. The extreme south of
Bengal encompasses mangrove forests nested in the delta formed at the confluence of the
Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers, named the Sundarbans, which is a great attrac-
tion to tourists for adventure and quietude. The Sundarbans is the largest contiguous
mangrove forest in the world and is renowned as a ‘World Heritage Site’ by UNESCO
(1987), a ‘Ramsar Site’ (1992) and a ‘Wetland of International Importance’ (2019) [67,68].
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 8 of 25

This is an excellent example of an ongoing ecological process, as the only mangrove hab-
itat for the Panthera Tigris species in the world. The middle of Bengal, covering most parts
of the Purulia, Bankura, Medinipur and Bardhhaman districts, constitutes a magnificent
extent of rugged, hilly topography in the Rarh plateau region and abundant countryside
and inspirations for tourists desiring a nice holiday. The geological structures of the region
leave significant imprints on the physical landscape, such as deep canyons in Gangani
and Garbeta, formed by the river Shilabati in the Paschim Medinipur district, and are ma-
jor tourist attractions due to the deep, beautifully carved red rock and amazing scenic
beauty. The verdant greenery of the Purulia district, coating the jagged, rising topography
comprising the lower elevations of the Eastern Ghats, can be exceptionally attractive to
people looking for a taste of adventure [48–52]. The lower part of the state is the coastline
with several beaches, such as Digha, New Digha, Mandarmani, Tajpur, etc., which is en-
ticing for peaceful, serene vacations. The gently rolling waves along smooth sandy
beaches and maritime climate are tourist hooks, and with the support of the state govern-
ment, these places have emerged as famous tourist spots [69,70].
These diverse and rather complex features of West Bengal enhance its geo-ecotour-
ism potentiality and ensure varied outcomes. There are multiples factors, but the current
study concentrated on eleven factors, of which the major thrust is thought to be its geo-
logical landscapes, geomorphological features and environmental and cultural mosaics,
such as population concentration, attractive tourist destinations and their beauty, tourist
infrastructural development, road density, accessibility of health facilities, and LULC for
developing geo-ecotourism. The expert's opinions, field observation and literature review
were considered when determining the suitability factors of geo-ecotourism in West Ben-
gal and thereafter, these factors were established through AHP using evaluation factors
and a judgement matrix (Table 3). The magnitude of the judgement matrix was deter-
mined by the consistency ratio and was found to be significant (Table 4). According to this
judgement, the most important six factors amongst the eleven factors are relief (weight =
0.1484), slope (weight = 0.1387), drainage (weight = 0.1279), forest (weight = 0.1194), pop-
ulation concentration (weight = 0.0925) and number of tourist spots (weight = 0.0871) (Fig-
ure 6). Other factors also play a significant role as the state has diverse features that can
attract tourists. Based on the physiographic conditions, the importance of some factors is
changeable, and therefore, their contribution in site suitability analysis of geo-ecotourism
becomes multifaceted. Thus, to simplify the major factors, they were initially considered
for their significance in the geo-ecotourism zones of West Bengal based on their weight
analysis; thereafter, all the considerable factors were taken for microlevel analysis of each
zone, and the geo-ecotourism spots were located.

Table 3. Analyzing the suitability factors for geo-ecotourism in West Bengal by AHP.

R S D F P T I H RD SB L Weightage
Relief (R) 1.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 3.00 2.00 2.00 3.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 0.1484
Slope (S) 0.50 1.00 2.00 2.00 3.00 2.00 2.00 3.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 0.1387
Drainage (D) 0.50 0.33 1.00 2.00 3.00 2.00 2.00 3.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 0.1279
Forest (F) 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.00 3.00 2.00 2.00 3.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 0.1194
Population density (P) 0.33 0.33 0.33 0.33 1.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 0.0925
Tourist spots (T) 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 0.0871
Infrastructure (I) 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 0.0774
Health (H) 0.33 0.33 0.33 0.33 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 0.0634
Road density (RD) 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.00 2.00 2.00 0.0580
Scenic beauty (SB) 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.00 2.00 0.0484
LULC (L) 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 1.00 0.0387
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 9 of 25

Table 4. Consistency Index (CI) and Consistency Ratio (CR) for validation of AHP.

Random Consistency
Lamda Max Consistency Index (CI) Consistency Ratio (CR) Remarks
Index (RI)
The decision is reliable
25.83 0.216718 N = 11, RI = 1.51 0.14
and significant

Importance of suitability factors for geo-ecotourism in West Bengal

0.16
0.14
0.12
0.1
Weightage

0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0

Figure 6. Importance of suitability of factors for geo-ecotourism.

3.3. Geo-Ecotourism Zones of West Bengal and Geo-Ecological Uniqueness

There is significant potential for developing geo-ecotourism in West Bengal because
of its diverse geological relics and physiographic settings consisting of hills, inselbergs,
tors, springs, waterfalls, ravines, badlands, etc. The geo-ecological uniqueness of the two
physiographic divisions, i.e., the northern Himalayan tracts and the southern Gangetic
plains, has always attracted tourists from across the world. Thus, the sequential changes
in relief, slope, drainage, forest, scenic beauty, LULC, population concentration, etc., in
the northern parts with the abrupt elevation of the Himalayan mountain, Sub-Himalayan
Dooars region, Lesser Himalayan Terai region in the southern plains and its ascent near
the western part, merging into the Chhotanagpur Plateau, result in the area’s significant
donation to geo-eco-tourism development. These geological landscapes, geomorphologi-
cal features and environmental and cultural mosaics create diverse prospects and attrac-
tive destinations for developing geo-ecotourism. The physiography (Figure 7) and land
use/land cover (LULC) (Figure 8) of West Bengal is mapped here to arrange the geo-eco-
tourism zones because it is logical that the barren land and open space can be strategically
used for infrastructural development to promote tourism; the forest and wetland area
could be useful to build national parks and sanctuaries.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 10 of 25

Figure 7. Physiographic divisions of West Bengal.

Figure 8. Land Use/Land Cover of West Bengal.

Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 11 of 25

The geo-ecological uniqueness of each geo-ecotourism zones (Figures 9 and 10) of

West Bengal has been described accordingly to unearth the key tourist spots. The detailed
mapping of the potential spots of each zone was also carried out in the study (Figures 11–
14).

Figure 9. Geo-ecotourism zones in West Bengal.

Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 12 of 25

Figure 10. District-wise major tourist spots.

3.3.1. Zone 1: The Himalayan Hilly Region

The entire Darjeeling district and the northern parts of the Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri
districts of West Bengal belong to the Himalayan hilly region, which merges into the East-
ern Himalayan range, where the climate is favourable throughout the year. Teesta is the
main river, running north to south and forming a deep gorge, dividing this region into
the eastern and western mountains. This Himalayan range has picturesque mountain
peaks with an average height of 2200 m to 1900 m, and the famous Tiger Hill (2567 m) is
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 13 of 25

located here. Mt Everest, Mt Kanchenjonga, Mt Lhotse and Mt Makalu are a few of the
highest peaks in the world, which are visible and attract tourists every year. Moreover,
the influence of Tibetan and Bhutanese indigenous culture is noticeable in the cuisines
and attires in this region. Thus, there are numerous spots that have the capability of pro-
moting geo-ecotourism (Figure 11) and so many uncommon spots are currently emerging
as eco-tourism spots in the region. Some of the potential spots of this region are Kurseong,
Kalimpong, Lamahatta, Samsing, Lava lolegaon, Phalut, Takdah, Tinchuley, Sillery Gaon,
Mirik, Latpanchar, Srikhola, Sandakphu, Jorpokhri, Palmajua and Rishop.

Figure 11. Geo-ecotourism spots of Himalayan hills & foothill regions.

3.3.2. Zone 2: Terai or Foothill Region

The unique geo-ecological region comprising the Lesser Himalaya and the foothills
in the east is known as Terai, and the western fraction is called Dooars, which encompass
numerous national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, catering to adventurous tourists and
people looking for wildlife photography. The region, which lies just below the Bhabhar,
is an area of rocks, gravels and soil eroded from the Himalayas and dotted with clayey
marshes, grasslands and wetlands. The lush green forests of Dooars are the home to sev-
eral endangered species such as the one-horned Indian rhino, Indian elephant, Great In-
dian Hornbill, red panda, lemurs, leopards, etc. The region is dissected by several rivers,
such as Teesta, Torsha, Raidhaka and Jaldhaka, and other small mountain streams, and it
is also a place of extensive, wide, stretched mellow green tea estates, creating charisma
conducive to geo-ecotourism. The potential spots of this region are Naxalbari, Fashidewa,
Panitanki-Kakarvita, Gorumara, Jaldapara, Buxa forest, Dooars-Rongpo, Jhalong, Murti,
Bindu, Jayanti, Chillapata, Magurmari Oraon and Kathambari (Figure 11).

3.3.3. Zone 3: Rarh Plateau Region

The extension of the Chhotanagpur plateau running from the west to the east till the
stretch of the Gangetic plains is known as the Rarh plateau region of West Bengal. The
western part of Bankura, Bardhaman, Purulia, Birbhum and Paschim Medinipur are
found in this region. It has an elevation of about 75 to 500 m, where the low-elevation
lateritic badlands, belonging to the Pleistocene era, commonly called Khowai, are widely
seen in this region. The highest of these hillocks are the Biharinath and Susunia hills. Small
hillocks or Tila are formed due to tectonic activities, and aerial erosions are frequently
found in this area, which has transformed this place into an undulating peneplain. The
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 14 of 25

rugged topography of this region provides many opportunities for geo-ecotourism. Fur-
thermore, several rivers such as Damodar, Ajay, Shilabati, Kangsabati, etc., have devel-
oped the landscape and added some beauty to the region, which significantly magnetizes
tourists. The Gangani Canyon, formed by the river Shilabati in Medinipur, is popularly
known as ‘The Grand Canyon of Bengal’. The potential spots of this region are Joychan-
dipahar, Garhpanchkot, Susunia hill, Ayodhya hill, Gargaburu hills, Mathaburu hill, Gan-
gani, Garbetta and Mama-bhagne Pahar (Figure 12).

Figure 12. Geo-ecotourism spots of Rarh region.

3.3.4. Zone 4: Bengal Heritage Plain Land Region

Middle Bengal is an alluvial tract, the combination of old and new alluvium deposits,
which is primarily characterized by flat to rolling surfaces, loamy soil and environments
with a suitable climate. The Malda, Murshidabad and Nadia districts and parts of the
Birbhum and Bardhaman districts belong to this region, which is famous for its heritage
sites, physical landscapes and fluvial landforms with distinguished ecological facets,
which caters to a large tourist influx. The potential spots of this region are Gour, Adina,
Palasi, Hazarduari, Bakreswar, Khoai, Tarapith, Shantiniketan, Nabdwip and Mayapur
(Figures 10 and 11).
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 15 of 25

3.3.5. Zone 5: Coastal Fringes

The coastal fringes have smooth beaches with gentle waves due to touching the Bay
of Bengal. This plainland region is 158 km long, occupying the southern parts of Purba
Medinipur, and extends up to the South 24 Paraganas district. The uniqueness of this re-
gion caters to a huge tourist influx throughout the year, and to avoid the drawbacks of
such mass tourism, there is immense scope to develop geo-ecotourism in the region. This
is the most famous and frequent destination for domestic tourists, despite having tidal
inflows and attacks of cyclones. The potential spots of this region are New Digha, Tajpur,
Junput, Mandarmoni, Shankarpur and Udaipur (Figure 13).

Figure 13. Geo-ecotourism spots of Coastal region.

3.3.6. Zone 6: Sundarban

This World Heritage Site and Ramsar Site is a deltaic region, which is associated with
the coastal track and was formed at the confluence of the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Me-
ghna rivers. It is the world’s largest mangrove forest, consisting of Sundri trees, and is
nestled in a labyrinth of streams and rivers with a series of islands and mudflats. The
exceptional biodiversity of the region supports different terrestrial, aquatic and marine
habitats, which are popular across the world. It is also the sole habitat for the Royal Bengal
tiger (Panthera Tigris) and various other endangered species such as Ganges and Irra-
waddy dolphins, estuarine crocodiles and critically endangered endemic river terrapin
(Batagur Baska), green turtle, olive ridley turtles, alligators, etc., which are also found to
create keen interest amongst tourists. The potential spots are Mausuni, Bakkhali, Henry
Island, Gangasagar, Pakhiralay, Bhagbatpur, Dobaki, Burir dabri, Sajnekhali, Sudhanyo-
khali and Bonni camp (Figure 14).
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 16 of 25

Figure 14. Geo-ecotourism spots of Sundarbans region.

3.4. Potential Site Suitability of Geo-Ecotourism in the Coastal Region of West Bengal
3.4.1. Background of Tourism in Coastal Beaches
A further intensified outlook of geo-ecotourism was undertaken through checking
out the site suitability of the coastal region of West Bengal. Digha, which is located 187
km southwest of Kolkata, is situated in the Purba Medinipur district (Figure 15), which is
the prime spot of the coastal tracts of Bengal [71]. Since Digha is the foremost choice of
tourists [70,72], it receives about 1 lakh of foreign tourists and 25 lakh domestic tourists
throughout the year (about 43% of the tourist flow of West Bengal) [67,68,72]. The other
tourism sites could be found out through employing the site suitability study. Keeping
this situation in mind, the coastal area was selected for the case study to find out site suit-
ability using the AHP method. The other significant tourist places (Figure 15) of the region
are Mandarmoni, Tajpur, Shankarpur, Junput, etc. [67,71], and they are connected [71,73]
with the nearest town of Contai. The other local beaches are Jaladha, Soula and Chang-
asuli, Haripur, Junput, Bhogpur and Bankiput, as shown in the figure.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 17 of 25

Figure 15. Coastal region of West Bengal with the beaches of tourist interest.

3.4.2. Site Suitability of Coastal Beaches as determined by AHP Method

Considering the nine criteria selected by the expert's opinions, the site suitability of
geo-ecotourism in this coastal region was determined by employing the AHP method and
geospatial techniques. The nine selected criteria were land use/land cover, geomorphol-
ogy (beach length), existing major infrastructure facilities, existing transport facilities, dis-
tance of beach from the village, distance from the nearest town, distance from the nearest
railway station, distance from nearest cyclone centre and distance from nearest health fa-
cility for overlay analysis using weight derived from the AHP method. Each criterion had
high, moderate and low suitability levels, but the proportion of influence varied; where
land use/land cover (30.33%); beach length (21.42%); and distance of beach from the vil-
lage (17.05%) have the highest influence capacity. However, it should be kept in mind that
the criteria and their influence capacity are perhaps dissimilar in the case of other geo-
ecotourism regions of West Bengal. Here, the CR value was calculated using the CI (0.05)
and RI (1.32) and found as 0.05, which signifies its acceptance (as it is less than 0.10)
[7,53,56]. It was significantly found that open space, greater beach length, a shorter beach-
to-village distance, the existence of infrastructural, transport and health care facilities, and
the nearest location of the town and railway station resulted in higher suitability for the
geo-ecotourism sites. Based on such AHP analysis, five zones were identified based on
the final score of each criterion and outlined in a suitability map (Figure 16). In it, very
high site suitability was identified along a larger beach area, while moderate to high suit-
ability was scattered, and moderate suitability was found for the beach of the Ramnagar
block. Moreover, a ranking of the beaches and corresponding village names was carried
out, and it was found that the Soula and Changasuli beaches (Dakshin Purushottampur
village) ranked first with the highest suitability and great potentiality, while Haripur
beach (Shyam Rai Bar Jalpai, Mankarai Put, Sharad Pur, Baguran Jalpai villages) ranked
second, and Junput beach (Dakshin Kadua, Biramput villages) ranked third. Therefore, it
can be stated that based on the suitability analysis and ecosystem sustainability, the de-
velopment of geo-ecotourism in currently unpopular coastal beaches is recommended.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 18 of 25

Figure 16. Site Suitability of Coastal region.

3.5. Appliance of GIS as Geospatial Techniques in Tourism Development

Geospatial techniques can be used in tourism development in diverse ways (Figure
17), which includes tourism planning, service management, location suitability planning,
demand-oriented planning, resource inventories, tourism marketing, monitoring tourism
activities, community involvement, participation planning etc., and all of these can be em-
ployed for any sort of tourism. Thus, location-specific tourism, which is the key feature of
geo-ecotourism, can be portrayed through this technique. Recently, tourism research and
development have largely included geospatial techniques in many countries as these help
countries to use, manage and distribute huge databases and produce valuable output for
better and sustainable tourism. Moreover, it can coordinate government, academic and
tourism sectors and tourism organizations and thus create a tourism knowledge system
which finally promotes a greater vision of tourism.

Figure 17. Application of Geospatial techniques in tourism development.

Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 19 of 25

As the current study is concentrated on geo-ecotourism, a comprehensive, integrated

planning and management programme has been planned to encourage sustainable geo-
ecotourism development in West Bengal. This will help to promote and develop the di-
verse aspects of geo-ecotourism using physical, ecological, environmental, socioeconomic
and cultural development of existing and potential tourist spots. This tourism has a
broader prospect in utilizing re-engineering infrastructure by employing coastal, forest,
agrovillage, plantation, water-based, sociocultural resource-based resources to encourage
income, employment, revenue and profit generation. Moreover, there is promise in the
development of systematic inventory of tourism resources, monitoring of specific indica-
tors, domestic and foreign tourist/visitor management, simulating and modelling of spa-
tial outcomes, integrating socioeconomic and environmental datasets, creating proper de-
cision support systems, identification of and/or recreation in suitable locations for tour-
ism, potential zone identification and eventually prediction of future scope and potential-
ity of geo-ecotourism in West Bengal (Figure 18).

Figure 18. Applications of geospatial techniques in common tourism-related issues.

The marketing strategy of the tourism sector by the government largely depends on
seven key issues (7Ps): price, place, promotion, process, participation, partnership (Figure
19). It includes the development of a portfolio of geo-ecotourism based on physical and
cultural aspects and extends to single-window facilities and partnerships for utilizing
unique aspects. The current tourism policy of West Bengal includes the 5U model in their
policy planning initiatives (Figure 20), which can also be very useful in geo-ecotourism
development. It covers the production (Uttpadan) of products and services; includes de-
velopment (Unnayan) of markets and infrastructure; boosts investment through the Pub-
lic–Private–Partnership (P-P-P) model (Uttsadan); and induces promotion (Uddesh) and
generation of revenue and economic benefits (Utsatto). This model is helpful in develop-
ing all types of tourism, but the promotional setting and advertisement campaign of gov-
ernment websites and brochures should be taken care of, and sustainable tourism, such
as geo-ecotourism, must be highlighted in it so that all sorts of tourists can come to know
the features and develop a keen interest in travelling to various destinations in West Ben-
gal. In addition to this, the application of geospatial techniques with the analysis of remote
sensing data, the inclusion of administrative information, the extension of potential tourist
spots and creation of tourism facility maps and accessibility maps with the employment
of GIS will help to promote geo-ecotourism planning and development.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 20 of 25

Figure 19. Marketing strategy for tourism development in West Bengal.

Figure 20. The 5U model for Policy Planning Initiative of West Bengal Tourism Development. (Pre-
pared by the authors on the basis of the objectives of tourism policy of West Bengal).

4. Discussion
The tourism sector of West Bengal stretches from the Himalayas in the north to the
Bay of Bengal in the south. The state is known for domestic, inbound, outbound and lei-
sure tourism; and the Himalayas, Dooars Foothills, Bengal heritage, Sundarbans, coastal
tracts, Kolkata and cultural and religious tourism all are very significant. The state is gen-
erally famous for its diverse tourism, which is spread across the Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri,
Koch Behar, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Nadia, Birbhum, Bankura, Purulia,
Malda, Murshidabad districts and Kolkata districts, where many places attract a large vol-
ume of domestic, national and international tourists, almost throughout the entire year.
More than 70 million domestic tourists and 1.5 million foreign visitors and approximately
10,000 branded hotels were recorded in 2019 [64,67,68]. The state has been awarded the
‘East India Travel Award East 2016’ for the ‘Best Experimental Destination’ [3]. This is
considered as the ‘Sweetest Part of India’, and thus the state launched a new logo: ‘Expe-
rience Bengal’. Moreover, under the ‘Swedish Darshan Scheme,’ the ‘Udaypur-Digh-
Sankarpur-Tajpur-Mandarmani-Bakkhali-Henry Island-Frazergaunj’ route was intro-
duced as a new coastal circuit [67,68]. It signifies the importance of tourism in the state
and the need for tourism development to construct more potential hotspots. Therein lies
the scope of geo-ecotourism as a new form of tourism, which has already been ongoing in
some states of India and is popular in other countries.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 21 of 25

It is known to all that tourism is vital for the growth of the state’s as well as the coun-
try’s economy. Still, it is nowhere as important as famous visiting destinations such as
Digha, Darjeeling, Dooars, etc., as than 15% of the region’s economy depends on the influx
of annual tourists. The strategic development of geo-ecotourism in West Bengal can cater
to first-timers and middle-class families and increasingly become a large travel market. A
new strategic approach or method must boost this sector to cope with the situation in the
post-COVID-19 era. With the combination of government and private sectors and the ap-
plication of an improved management system, this sector should develop its worldwide
appeal; geospatial techniques can occupy this role. This sector may concentrate on ICT
usage, e-focus, a future delivery mechanism and the outcomes from the statistical analysis
of travel and tourism in the pandemic situation, all of which can be used as a basis to find
alternative and probable encouraging views [74,75]. Therefore, the current effort will shed
some light on the diverse issues regarding tourism development and its economic and
societal aftermath in the new normal phase of the post-COVID-19 era, and geospatial tech-
niques can help the sector recover as well. As West Bengal is vast and diverse in terms of
its features, only one region, i.e., the coastal region, was initially chosen for testing the site
suitability analysis and potential mapping of geo-ecotourism by employing geospatial
techniques, i.e., the AHP method.
During the application of geospatial technology, the image processing and analysis
of remotely sensed data plays a pivot role, attracting advanced methods of hyperspectral
image classification [76,77]; methods for reducing the computational complexity caused
by various noise effects degradation, variability, etc., need to be applied. Moreover, some
mathematical models, mixing models, etc., [78] need to be run during the RS-data-based
multicriteria decision analysis to meet various difficulties due to variability, diverse ex-
pert opinion, the nature of parameters and their regional differences. The current study
used RS data from suitable times to avoid such complications and keep the diverse and
complex physio-ecological and cultural features of the study region in mind; the eleven
factors were considered for developing geo-ecotourism zones by employing the AHP
method using geospatial technology.
The tourism sector of West Bengal is suffering from its physiocultural heterogeneity,
physical isolation, inaccessibility, unplanned and haphazard growth of tourist spots, in-
sufficient infrastructural and supra-structural facilities, information gaps, overcrowding
in some spots, lack of planning for the development of new spots, lack of proper publicity
and a dearth of reliable data, etc. The current attempt addressed most of these issues in a
more scientific and methodological way so that the physiocultural heterogeneity coincides
with the ecological diversity and developed a new terminology, ‘geo-ecotourism’, for
tourists who visit the tourist spots in the state. It demonstrates how the various physical
and cultural factors could be included in the geo-ecotourism zonation of West Bengal and
further analysis of each zones for existing tourist spot mapping, the planned growth of
possible and potential tourist spot mapping through reliable data, circuit analysis, modi-
fication of existing spots by adding attractiveness, improvement of accessibility, reducing
haphazardness, concentrating of required infrastructural development, creating aware-
ness and accordingly tourism management, which can be improved with the application
of geospatial techniques and mathematical methods. The fruitful outcomes from such
analysis help us to recognize suitability zones and their ranking and ensure that this could
be very much beneficial to boost the tourism sector by encouraging geo-ecotourism de-
velopment.

5. Conclusions
West Bengal caters to an oversized volume of domestic and foreign tourists as it
shares international boundaries with three different countries, namely Nepal, Bhutan and
Bangladesh, as well as its domestic boundary with the Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and
Orissa states. The state owns five national parks, fifteen wildlife sanctuaries and three
tiger reserve forests, which are growing keen interest amongst tourists worldwide.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 22 of 25

Culturally, West Bengal is incredibly enriching as the state possesses a patchwork of dif-
ferent ethnicities; and the inhabitants of West Bengal inherited their originality and aspi-
ration from the substantial Indian mosaic. Previously, the state was primarily dependent
on mass tourism, and numerous environmental problems have emerged from this. How-
ever, in recent years, the changing patterns of tourism, behavioural changes and purchase
habits of the tourists, etc., have encouraged the government to explore some other forms
of tourism, such as ecotourism, geo-tourism, agro-tourism, wildlife tourism, rural tour-
ism, etc., and geo-ecotourism will add some extra sugar in it. Hence, identifying geo-eco-
tourism potential will strengthen the ambition of West Bengal’s tourism potency, and the
government will be able to boost the sector with ambitious plans. West Bengal possesses
the potential to emerge as a frequently sought destination for geo-ecotourism for its ex-
ceptional geography, geological relics and cultural and ethnic richness. By allowing this
tourism sector to flourish by developing it through pragmatic analysis with the applica-
tion of geospatial techniques, the state will open itself up to more exposure, and hence, it
will pave the path for economic growth through the structural conversion of the state. The
influx of tourists in existing and probable geo-ecotourism spots would ensure the devel-
opment of the transport and communication system for the tourists’ sake and improve the
existing infrastructure.
Site suitability analysis by employing AHP method with the help of geospatial tech-
niques in the study signifies that there is ample scope of geo-ecotourism development in
the coastal tracts of West Bengal and ensures the potentiality of other tourism zones of the
state. This kind of analysis helps to reduce the regional problems, ensuring employment
and community participation and helps the planners and policymakers to take initiatives
for sustainable and resilient tourism development in the state. The state has a huge geo-
graphical area and numerous features, and thus has ample scope of geo-ecotourism, but
the current AHP investigation only focused on the coastal region; therefore, there is scope
for further analysis of the other tourism regions of Bengal. It is asserted that to promote
the geo-ecotourism, the regional connectivity, infrastructural sector and the economic sec-
tor of the region need to be significantly developed. Thus, the authority of the concerned
section and stakeholders of West Bengal should delve into developing the tourism sector
by concentrating on the growth of possible spots, discovering potential spots, carrying out
attractive mapping with sufficient information and circuit analysis of different geo-eco-
tourism zones, modifying existing spots, creating attractiveness of unknown spots by pro-
motion, creating awareness, improving =connectivity and accessibility, ensuring infra-
structural development, constructing a build-up strategy for diverting mass tourism to
the new spots, reducing haphazardness, concentrating on management involving the lo-
cal community, etc. Henceforth, the development of any setting for tourism must be
properly planned, and before the examination of the place for potential assessment, site
suitability analysis using geospatial techniques, statistical methods and statistical meth-
ods, such as AHP, must be employed, and related research activities should be considered
during budgetary provision for the sustainable and resilient development of tourism.

Author Contributions: Conceptualization, B.K.M. and A.A.; methodology, B.K.M., A.A. and R.D.;
software, A.A., B.K.M. and R.D.; validation, B.K.M., P.K.M. and K.A.; formal analysis, B.K.M. and
A.A.; investigation, B.K.M., P.K.M., K.A. and TB; resources, B.K.M. and A.A.; data curation, B.K.M.,
A.A. and P.K.M.; writing—original draft preparation, A.A., R.D. and B.K.M.; writing—review and
editing, B.K.M., K.A., P.K.M., A.T. and T.B.; visualization, B.K.M., A.A., R.D., T.B. and P.K.M., su-
pervision, K.A., P.K.M. and A.T.; project administration, K.A.; funding acquisition, K.A. and P.K.M.
All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding: Deep thanks and gratitude go out to the Researchers Supporting Project (RSP-2021/351),
King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for funding the research article.
Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 23 of 25

Data Availability Statement: Not applicable.

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

References
1. Koizumi, T.; Chakraborty, A. Geo-ecotourism and environmental conservation education: Insights from Japan. GeoJournal 2016,
81, 737–750. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-015-9660-4.
2. World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). 2017. Available online: https://skift.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/WTTC-June-
2017.pdf (accessed on 19 July 2021).
3. Ministry of Tourism, GOI. India Tourism Statistics, New Delhi. 2019. Available online: http://tourism.gov.in/sites/de-
fault/files/Other/India%20Tourism%20Statistics%202019.pdf (accessed on 25 September 2021).
4. Buckley, R. A framework for ecotourism. Ann. Tour. Res. 1994, 21, 661–665. https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-7383(94)90126-0.
5. Elliott-White, M.P.; Finn, M. Growing in sophistication: The application of geographic information systems in post-modern
tourism marketing. J. Travel Tour. Mark. 1997, 7, 65–84.
6. Tewodros, K. Geospatial Approach for Ecotourism Development: A Case of Bale Mountain National Park. Addis Ababa Uni-
versity. 2010. Available online: http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/789 (accessed on25 September 2021).
7. Abed, M.H.; Monavari, M.; Karbasi, A.; Farshchi, P.; Abedi, Z. Site selection using Analytical Hierarchy Process by geographical
information system for sustainable coastal tourism. In Proceedings of International Conference on Environmental and Agricul-
ture, Engineering, Chengdu, China, 29–31 July, 2011; Volume 15, pp. 120–124.
8. Bunruamkaew, K.; Murayama, Y. Site suitability evaluation for ecotourism using GIS & AHP: A case study of Surat Thani
province, Thailand. Proced. Soc Behav. Sci. 2011, 2, 269–278.
9. Reihanian, A.; Noor Zalina Binti, M.; Kahrom, E.; Hin, T.W. Sustainable tourism development strategy by SWOT analysis: Bou-
jagh National Park, Iran. Tour. Manag. Perspect. 2012, 4, 223–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2012.08.005.
10. Dowling, R.K. Global Geotourism—An emerging form of sustainable tourism. Czech J. Tour. 2013, 2, 59–79.
11. Ahmadi, M.; Darabkhani, M.F.; Ghanavati, E. A GIS-based Multi-criteria Decision-making Approach to Identify Site Attraction
for Ecotourism Development in Ilam Province, Iran. J. Qual. Assur. Hosp. Tour. 2014, 12, 243–268.
12. Mihret, G.; Yohannes, L. Site suitability evaluation of ecotourism potentials or sustainable natural resource management and
community based ecotourism development: The case of Bench Maji zone, southwestern part of Ethiopia. J. Arts Humanit. Soc.
Sci. 2015, 3(B), 1368–1383.
13. Suryabhagavan, K.V.; Tamirat, H.; Balakrishinan, M. Multi-criteria evaluation in identification of potential ecotourism sites in
Hawassa town and its surroundings, Ethiopia. J. Geomat. 2015, 1, 86–92.
14. Pita. A.B.C.; Cahyono, A. Development of Landscape Architecture through Geo-eco-tourism in Tropical Karst Area to Avoid
Extractive Cement Industry for Dignified and Sustainable Environment and Life. IOP Conf. Ser. Earth Environ. Sci. 2017, 83,
012028. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/83/1/012028.
15. Palmer, N.J.; Chuamuangphan, N. Governance and local participation in ecotourism: Community-level ecotourism stakehold-
ers in Chiang Rai province, Thailand. J. Ecotourism 2018, 17, 320–337. https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2018.150228.
16. Taye, B. Using Geospatial Techniques in the Selection of Potential Ecotourism Sites in Menz-geramidir District, Ethiopia. Ghana
J. Geogr. 2019, 11, 201–227. https://doi.org/10.4314/gjg.v11i1.12.
17. Zarghi, A.H.; Bidkhori, A.; Hosseini, S.M. Site Suitability Evaluation for Ecotourism Using GIS & MCDM: A Case Study of
Bazangan Lake Watershed, Iran. J Nov. Appl Sci. 2019, 8, 170–181. Available online: http://jnasci.org/wp-content/up-
loads/2019/12/JNASCI-2019-170-181.pdf (accessed on15 October 2021).
18. Tomic, N.; Markovic, S.B.; Antic, A.; Tesic, D. Exploring the potential for geotourism development in the Danube region of
Serbia. Int. J. Geoheritage Parks 2020, 8, 123–139.
19. Ambecha, A.B.; Melka, G.A.; Gemeda, D.O. Ecotourism site suitability evaluation using geospatial technologies: A case of
Andiracha district, Ethiopia. Spat. Inf. Res. 2020, 28, 559–568. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41324-020-00316-y.
20. Guerrero, J.V.R.; Gomes, A.A.T.; de Lollo, J.A.; Moschini, L.E. Mapping Potential Zones for Ecotourism Ecosystem Services as
a Tool to Promote Landscape Resilience and Development in a Brazilian Municipality. Sustainability 2020, 12, 10345.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410345.
21. Strba, L.; Kolackovská, J.; Kudelas, D.; Kršák, B.; Sidor, K. Geoheritage and Geotourism Contribution to Tourism Development
in Protected Areas of Slovakia—Theoretical Considerations. Sustainability 2020, 12, 2979. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072979.
22. Chlachula, J.; Zhensikbayeva, N.Z.; Yegorina, A.V.; Kabdrakhmanova, N.K.; Czerniawska, J.; Kumarbekuly, S. Territorial As-
sessment of the East Kazakhstan Geo/Ecotourism: Sustainable Travel Prospects in the Southern Altai Area. Geosciences 2021, 11,
156. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11040156.
23. Maharana, I.; Rai, S.C.; Sharma, E. Valuing ecotourism in a sacred lake of the Sikkim Himalaya, India. Environ. Conserv. 2000,
27, 269–277. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892900000308.
24. Das, S. Ecotourism, sustainable development and the Indian state. Econ. Political Wkly. 2011, 46, 60–67.
25. Vinodan, A.; Manalel, J. Local economic benefits of ecotourism: A case study on Parambikulan Tiger Reserve in Kerala, India.
South Asian J. Tour. Herit. 2011, 4, 93–109.
26. Kala, C.P. Ecotourism and sustainable development of mountain communities: A study of Dhanolti Ecopark in Uttarakhand
state of India. Appl. Ecol. Environ. Sci. 2013, 1, 98–103. https://doi.org/10.12691/aees-1-5-5.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 24 of 25

27. Ecotourism Society of India (ESI). Ecotourism and environment handbook: A ready reckoner for the tourism industry. 2014, 1–
292. Available online: http: //www.ecotourismsocietyofindia.org/file/ESOI-HANDBOOK-2014_kuoni.pdf (accessed on15 Octo-
ber 2021).
28. Kumari, S.; Behera, M.D.; Tewari, H.R. Identification of potential ecotourism sites in West District, Sikkim using geospatial
tools. Trop. Ecol. 2010, 51, 75–85.
29. Chand, S.; Singh, S.; Parappurathu, S.; Roy, S.D.; Kumar, A. Explaining the status and scope of ecotourism development for
livelihood security: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Int. J. Sustain. Dev. World Ecol. 2015, 22, 335–345.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2015.1050478.
30. Das, M.; Chatterjee, B. Ecotourism and empowerment: A case analysis of Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha, India. IIM
Kozhikode Soc. Manag. Rev. 2015, 4, 136–145. https://doi.org/10.1177/2277975215613175.
31. Bhalla, P.; Coghlan, A.; Bhattacharya, P. Homestays’ contribution to community-based ecotourism in the Himalayan region of
India. Tour. Recreat. Res. 2016, 41, 213–228. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2016.1178474.
32. Goodwin, R.D.; Chaudhary, S.K. Eco-tourism dimensions and directions in India: An empirical study of Andhra Pradesh. J.
Commer. Manag. Thought 2017, 8, 436–451. https://doi.org/10.5958/0976-478X.2017.00026.X.
33. Grover, A.K.; Mahanta, B.N. Geotourism potential in Arunachal Pradesh—A preliminary appraisal. Indian J. Geosci. 2018, 72,
345–360.
34. Hameed, B.; Khalid, A. Impact of Ecotourism in Ensuring the Sustainable Development of Tourism Industry in India. Int. J.
Recent Res. Asp. 2018, 5. Available online: https://www.ijrra.net/Vol5issue2/IJRRA-05-02-11.pdf (accessed on22 October 2021).
35. Karunakaran, N. Ecotourism Development and its Economic Impacts on Local Population in India. Int. J. Adv. Multidiscip. Sci.
Res. 2018, 1, 17–20. https://doi.org/10.31426/ijamsr.2018.1.6.612.
36. Poyyamoli, G. Ecotourism policy in India: Rhetoric and reality. Grassroots J. Nat. Resour. 2018, 1, 46–61.
https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.01015.
37. Shamnas, S.; Aishwarya, G.S.; Arun, K. GIS: A Tool for Eco-Tourism Site Selection in South Kerala. Int. J. Pure Appl. Math. 2018,
118, 4105–4111.
38. Cabral, C.; Dhar, R.L. Ecotourism research in India: From an integrative literature review to a future research framework. J.
Ecotourism 2020, 19, 23–49. https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2019.1625359.
39. Ranjith, M. To Examine the Potential and Scope of Ecotourism in Kerala with a Special Focus on Tourists to Ecotourism Desti-
nations in Trivandrum. J. Tourism Hospit. 2020, 9, 433. https://doi.org/10.35248/2167-0269.20.9.433.
40. Sachin, C.P.; Niharranjan, M. Ecotourism industry in India: A review of current practices and prospects. Anatolia 2020, 32, 289–
302. https://doi.org/10.1080/13032917.2020.1861040.
41. Sati, V.P. Sustainable Tourism Development: Constraints and Prospects. In Sustainable Tourism Development in the Himalaya:
Constraints and Prospects; Springer: Cham, Switzerland, 2020; pp. 133–139. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58854-0_1.
42. Karmakar, M. Ecotourism and Its impact on the regional economy—A study of North Bengal (India). Tour. Int. Mutidisciplinary
J. Tour. 2011, 6, 251–270.
43. Banerjee, M. Eco-tourism in Sunderbans—A life line for local people and the ecology. Int. J. Sci. Res. 2014, 3, 25–202.
44. Ahamed, M. Cultural Heritage Tourism—An Analysis with Special Reference to West Bengal (A State of India). Int. J. Recent
Trends Bus. Tour. 2017, 1, 55–62.
45. Bhaya, S.; Chakrabarty, A. A GIS Based Ecotourism Infrastructure Planning for Promotion of Tourism in Jungle Mahal of West
Bengal. J. Remote Sens. GIS 2016, 5, 181. https://doi.org/10.4172/2469-413.1000181.
46. Mondal, S. West Bengal -A Tourist Destination Comparative Analysis of Bengal Tourism Business Method with Kerala & Gu-
jarat. Arab. J. Bus Manag. Rev. 2016, 6, 245. https://doi.org/10.4172/2223-5833.1000245.
47. Chakrabarty, P.; Mandal, T. (Eds.). Tourism and Sustainability: A Geographical Study in the Rarh Region of West Bengal; Anjan Pub-
lisher: Kolkata, India, 2018.
48. Chakrabarty, P.; Mandal, R. Geoarchaeo sites for geotourism: A spatial analysis for Rarh Bengal in India. Geo J. Tour. Geosites
2019, 25, 543–554.
49. Ghosh, P.; Ghosh, A. Is ecotourism a panacea? Political ecology perspectives from the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, India.
GeoJournal 2019, 84, 345–366. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-018-9862-7.
50. Mahato, M.K.; Jana. N.C. Exploring the potential for development of Geotourism in Rarh Bengal, Eastern India using M-GAM.
Int. J. Geoheritage Parks 2020, 9, 313–322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgeop.2021.05.002.
51. Mahato, S. Travel Route Planning for Eco-Tourists of Jungle Mahals of West Bengal. Sambodhi J. 2021, 46, 352–361.
52. Ghosh, A.; Mukhopadhyay, S.; Chatterjee, S. Assessment of geoheritage and prospects of geotourism: An approach to geocon-
servation of important geological and geomorphological sites of Puruliya district, West Bengal, India. Int. J. Geoheritage Parks
2021, 9, 264–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgeop.2021.03.001.
53. Bhushan, N.; Rai, K. Strategic Decision Making: Applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process; Springer Science & Business Media: Ber-
lin/Heidelberg, Germany, 2007.
54. Mahdavi, A.; Niknejad, M. Site suitability evaluation for ecotourism using MCDM methods and GIS: Case study-Lorestan prov-
ince, Iran. J. Biodivers. Environ. Sci. 2014, 4, 425–437.
55. Çetinkaya, C.; Kabak, M.; Erbaş, M.; Özceylan, E. Evaluation of ecotourism sites: A GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis.
Kybernetes 2018, 47, 1664–1686. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-10-2017-0392.
Sustainability 2022, 14, 2422 25 of 25

56. Datta, K. Application of SWOT-TOWS Matrix and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in the Formulation of Geo-conservation
and Geotourism Development Strategies for Mama Bhagne Pahar: An Important Geomorphosite in West Bengal, India. Geoher-
itage 2020, 12, 45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-020-00467-2.
57. Bahaire, M.; White, E. The Application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in Sustainable Tourism Planning: A Review.
J. Sustain. Tour. 1999, 7, 159–174.
58. Farsari, Y.; Prastacos, P. GIS applications in the planning and management of tourism. In A Companion to Tourism; Wiley-
Blackwell: Oxford, UK, 2004; pp. 596–607.
59. Julia C.H.; Milne, S. Participatory Approaches and Geographical Information Systems (PAGIS) in Tourism Planning. Tour. Ge-
ogr. 2005, 7, 272–289.
60. Fung, T.; Wong, F.K.K. Ecotourism planning using multiple criteria evaluation with GIS. Geocarto. Int. 2007, 22, 87–105.
61. Widaningrum, D.L. A GIS-based approach for information management in ecotourism region. Procedia. Comput. Sci. 2015, 15,
511–518.
62. Samanta, S.; Baitalik, A. Potential Site Selection for Eco-Tourism: A Case Study of Four Blocks in Bankura District Using Remote
Sensing and GIS Technology, West Bengal. Int. J. Adv. Res. 2015, 3, 978–989.
63. Census of India. Government of India. 2011. Available online: https://censusindia.gov.in/2011-common/censusdata2011.html
(accessed on 2 November 2021).
64. Economic Review, Government of West Bengal. 2020. Available online: http://www.wbpspm.gov.in/publications/Eco-
nomic%20Review (accessed on 2 November 2021).
65. Saaty, T. The Analytic Hierarchy Process. 1980. McGraw-Hill, New York, USA. 287.
66. Statistical Abstract, Government of West Bengal. 2015. Available online: http://www.wbpspm.gov.in/publications/Statisti-
cal%20Abstract (accessed on 2 November 2021).
67. Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal. (n.d.). Available online: http://beautifulbengal.com/west-bengal-tourism-
department.html (accessed on 7 November 2021).
68. Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal. (n.d.). Available online: https://www.wbtourismgov.in/ (accessed on 7
November 2021).
69. Chakraborty, S.K. Coastal environment of Midnapore, West Bengal: Potential threats and management. J. Coast. Environ. 2010,
1, 27–40.
70. Mitra, S.S.; Santra, A.; Mitra, D. Change detection analysis of the shoreline using Toposheet and Satellite Image: A case study
of the coastal stretch of Mandarmani-Shankarpur, West Bengal, India. Int. J. Geomat. Geosci. 2013, 3, 425.
71. Mandal, M.; Dandapath, P.K. Digha Sankarpur littoral tract a geographical case study. Int. J. Humanit. Soc. Sci. Invent. 2013, 2,
46–54.
72. Banerjee, U.K.; Kumari, S.; Paul, S.K.; Sudhakar, S. Remote Sensing and GIS Based Ecotourism Planning: A Case Study for Western
Midnapore, West Bengal, India; ESRI: Noida, India, 2002.
73. Dandapath, P.K.; Mondal, M. Urbanisation and its impact on coastal eco-tourism in West Bengal. Int. J. Sci. Res. 2013, 2, 114–
119.
74. Kreiner, N.C.; Ram, Y. National tourism strategies during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ann. Tour. Res. 2020. 89, 130076.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2020.103076.
75. Sigala, M. Tourism and COVID-19: Impacts and implications for advancing and resetting industry and research. J. Bus. Res.
2020, 117, 312–321.
76. Hong, D.; Gao, L.; Yao, J.; Zhang, B.; Plaza, A.; Chanussot, J. Graph Convolution Network for Hyperspectral Image Classifica-
tion. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensisng 2020, 59, 5966–5978. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2020.3015157.
77. Hong, D.; Han, Z.; Gao, L.; Yao, J.; Zhang, B.; Plaza, A.; Chanussot, J. SpectralFormer: Rethinking Hyperspectral Image Classi-
fication with Transformer. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensing 2021. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2021.3130716.
78. Hong, D.; Yokoya, N.; Chanussot, J.; Zhu, X.X. An Augmented linear Mixing Model to Address Spectral Variability for Hyper-
spectral Unmixing. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensisng 2018, 28, 1923–1938. https://doi.org/10.1109/TIP.2018.2878958.