Formulating a User-Friendly Toolkit for Assessing Sustainable Ecotourism Potential in Protected Areas: A Case Study of Xuan Thuy Ramsar Site

This study aims to assess the sustainable ecotourism potential of a protected area such as Xuan Thuy Ramsar Site using a user-friendly toolkit that can be used by anyone. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed to evaluate the potential of sustainable ecotourism by prioritizing ten criteria. Expert interviews and data analysis were conducted to determine criteria weights, followed by criteria-specific assessments. The assessment identified "Natural Sustainability" as the most critical factor for ecotourism, followed by "The Uniqueness of the Natural Landscape" and "Stakeholder Engagement." Xuan Thuy Ramsar Site scored a total of 7.32, indicating high potential for sustainable ecotourism development. Challenges such as infrastructure limitations and accessibility issues were also highlighted. In addition, a toolkit consisting of 10 criteria and the weights of each criterion was also developed to be applied in the periodic assessment of sustainable ecotourism potential according to scenarios. The study introduces a user-friendly AHP-based toolkit for assessing sustainable ecotourism potential, which can be adapted for other protected areas. The findings provide actionable insights for policymakers, conservationists, and local stakeholders to prioritize interventions and foster sustainable tourism practices.