Proposed Model for Designing Tourist Routes Using the Spatial Distribution of Tourist Destinations in Tartous Governorate

Abstract

This study aimed to propose a model for designing tourist routes based on the spatial distribution of tourist destinations in Tartous Governorate. The research sought to identify the spatial distribution patterns of these destinations and analyze the impact of such patterns on route design through spatial analysis within a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) environment. It also aimed to propose new tourist routes that achieve spatial integration among the various destinations. Additionally, the study classified tourist destinations into natural, cultural, and archaeological categories and analyzed their spatial distribution patterns using key spatial tools, most notably Nearest Neighbor Analysis, Standard Distance, and Directional Distribution. Tourist routes connecting these destinations were designed based on distance and travel time variables.

The results indicated that analyzing the spatial distribution of tourist destinations—natural, cultural, and archaeological—in Tartous Governorate contributed to developing a model suitable for designing geographically coherent tourist routes. Spatial analysis further revealed that the distribution patterns of these destinations vary significantly, indicating the absence of a unified distribution pattern. Natural destinations follow a clustered distribution, cultural destinations exhibit a random distribution, while archaeological destinations display a dispersed yet concentrated pattern, primarily in the northern part of the governorate. The study demonstrated that spatial distribution patterns have a clear impact on the design of tourist routes: the nature of natural destinations influenced their clustered spatial pattern; the random distribution of cultural destinations resulted in longer, less frequent routes with weaker connectivity; whereas the concentration of archaeological destinations in specific areas produced shorter, more coherent, and well-defined routes. The study concluded that the spatial distribution of tourist destinations directly affects the design of tourist routes and that employing spatial analysis contributes to enhancing tourism planning in Tartous Governorate.