Integrated geospatial analysis for ecotourism potential: A study of Jhargram District using geographic information systems and analytical hierarchy process

This study evaluated the ecotourism potential of Jhargram District, West Bengal, India, using an integrated approach that combines geographic information systems (GIS) with the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) from multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) tools. Ten key criteria, including distance from geosites, elevation, slope, proximity to forests, distance from rivers, distance from cultural sites, distance from hotels and homestays, land use and land cover (LULC), distance from roads, and distance from tribal villages, were selected based on field surveys and expert opinions. The AHP method determined the relative importance of these criteria, and a weighted overlay analysis was conducted in ArcGIS 10.8. The analysis revealed that the district's 14.28 % (432.50 km 2 ) was highly suitable for ecotourism, with 0.16 % (5 km 2 ) classified as most suitable. Moderately suitable areas accounted for 73.21 % (2217.38 km 2 ), while 11.97 % (362.55 km 2 ) were less suitable, and only 0.38 % (11.4 km 2 ) were not suitable. The Binpur-II block emerged as the most favorable zone, hosting 35 villages within the most suitable category. The study's novelty lied in the integration of Kernel density estimation (KDE) and combined density analysis for validation, ensuring a more robust site selection process. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to promote ecotourism while conserving natural ecosystems and generating employment opportunities.