Evaluation of Ski Centers’ Performance Using Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making Methods

Abstract

Abstract Introduction. This study aimed to determine the criteria for the choice of nine different leading ski centers that serve actively in the ski tourism sector of Turkey, to calculate the criteria weights, and to measure the performance of these centers. Material and methods. In this context, the data were defuzzified using the CFCS method, and the fuzzy DEMATEL method was used to determine the criteria affecting the choice of ski centers. Then, the TOPSIS method was applied to measure the performance of ski centers by using the criteria weights obtained with the fuzzy DEMATEL method. Results. As a result of the analysis, the weights of the main criteria were found as follows: facility amenities, price, accessibility, accommodation, alternative tourism, and visitors’ rating scores. Consequently, the top three ski resorts according to their scores are SC4, SC1, and SC9, respectively. The ski center which is coded SC9 is ranked at the bottom. Conclusions. The study examined the ski centers that actively operate in Turkey. This could be considered as a spatial decision-making problem. This study could be a road map for the performance evaluation in ski tourism. Moreover, the results will be beneficial for the ski centers to identify their deficiencies and carry out improvement works in attracting the increasing demand for skiing to their centers.