Evaluation of Ecotourism Potentials Through Gis and Remote Sensing: a Case Study in Hawassa Town and its Surroundings, Ethiopia
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Date
2013-06-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Hawassa town and its surroundings, situated in the southern part of Ethiopia, have high
ecotourism potential due to the abundant natural and cultural resource especially landscape,
the lake and shore of the lake, moderate ecological conditions and wetlands that contribute to
the development of the country by means of tourism. Therefore, the main objectives of this
study were evaluating and identifying the ecotourism potential of the area using RS and GIS
techniques for optimal exploitation of the area for tourism purpose. Ecotourism is considered
as one of the most attractive subsets of tourism industry, which can contribute for natural
resource conservation and local development, if properly managed. Integrated approaches of
both RS and GIS techniques were used to generate visibility map, land-use/land-cover map
(using 2011 TM satellite image), slope map, elevation map, proximity to the lake map,
natural and cultural attraction sites point map, fauna and flora protection map, annual rainfall
map, annual temperature map and proximity to the road map. These eleven factor maps were
overlaid to evaluate the ecotourism suitability map of the study area. To make an accurate
decision in relation to the most appropriate ecotourism suitability map, weighted overlay
analysis and multi-criteria decision techniques were implemented. The results were classified
in to four ecotourism potential areas (highly suitable, moderately suitable marginally suitable
and no potential). These results are further verified by ecotourism potential sites point data
collected in the field and pervious reports. The largest part of the area was identified as low
suitable for ecotourism. Hence, this study concludes that Hawassa town and its surroundings
can contribute for the national development through sustainable use of ecotourism potential
of the area.
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Keywords
Ecotourism, GIS, Multi-Criteria Evaluation, Remote Sensing, Site Suitability