A decision-oriented approach to assess tourism sustainability in Italian regions

We propose a two-step methodology to assess tourism sustainability in Italian regions. First, the Multi-Directional Benefit of Doubt model evaluates each region’s potential for improvement in economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Second, the Directional Benefit of Doubt model incorporates the priorities of decision-makers, allowing comparisons between strategy scenarios. Unlike traditional approaches, our method: (i) derives region-specific preferences directly from the data, (ii) facilitates scenario-based assessments aligned with policy objectives, and (iii) uses longitudinal data to analyze both levels and trends of sustainability.