Yao, Y.; Zheng, R., and Parmak, M., 2022. Using an evaluation index system to examine the developmental potential of yachting tourism. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(6), 1195–1206. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.

The quantitative measurement and comparison of the development potential of yachting tourism to determine its development type are greatly significant to the reasonable planning and development of the yachting tourism industry. This study constructs an evaluation index system comprising elements, such as yachting tourism destination, source-market, travel, and support systems, to examine the development potential of yachting tourism. Further, the evaluation system comprehensively employs the analytic hierarchy process, as well as the entropy and cluster analysis methods, to empirically evaluate the tourism development potentials of 84 marinas in 29 coastal cities in China. The results demonstrate that the destination system comprising natural and scenic resource endowments and commercial basic conditions accounts for the core elements of regional yachting tourism development. The high potential of the marinas for yachting tourism mainly derives from the superior regional tourist market, traffic conditions, and the yacht industry foundation. Furthermore, regional development strategies comprising four potential types are also discussed to improve the competitiveness and attractiveness of yachting tourism.