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As a subject of scientific investigation, evaluations of the attractiveness of tourist destinations have had a relatively long history, particularly among geographers and regional economists. Based on mathematical and psychological principles and using methods that combine the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE) approach, this research project constructs an evaluation structure used for the assessment of European coastal and offshore areas for sailing tourism. A case study with a three-level evaluation structure has been defined and tested. It contains: at the top of the hierarchy an overall objective defined as the attractiveness of the European coastal and offshore areas for sailing tourism; six criteria of evaluation (on the second level); and ten coastal areas (at the bottom level). This structure covers almost all the coasts around Europe, as they were the subjects of evaluation and comparison. The evaluation was carried out by a group of experts who made the assessment taking into account previously determined criteria with weights. The findings indicate that the AHP-PROMETHEE method may be a useful tool to evaluate the attractiveness of different destinations. It can be also used for practical purposes, particularly to determine strengths and weaknesses, as well as the competitive position, of given coastal areas in relation to others.

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The aim of this paper is to present an alternative approach to sustainable tourism-derived from the human-centered angle. In line with this assumption, when considering the principles of sustainable tourism, the opinions of all groups of tourism actors, including host communities, tourists and tourism businesses should be taken into account equally with other factors, not merely as one of many decision makers, but as the main frame of reference. The research methodology is twofold. As regards the theoretical foundation, the model approach has been applied to conceptualize the intra-generational and inter-generational perspectives upon tourism sustainability. Consequently, the former is concerned with the problem of internal sustainability connected with the advantages achieved and disadvantages borne by tourism actors. The inter-generational perspective, on the other hand, is related to the problem of long-term tourism development under conditions of internal sustainability. In the empirical part of the research, the model was applied in a survey carried out in seven chosen areas in Poland. To this end, a set of auxiliary tools (an adopted Likert scale and a working matrix) was developed and positively tested in real-life conditions. The novelty of the study as a whole consists in the fact that it postulates taking into consideration the ‘human-centered perspective’ related to all groups of tourism actors, including who are not directly involved in tourism activity.

The aim of this article is to provide a description of the processes which take place within offshore and coastal areas treated as contemporary tourism space. The article presents the evolution of maritime space towards the formation of maritime tourism space. It also offers a classification of maritime tourism space types according to types of sailing tourism (investigated on a global scale). The analysis has covered the main geographical-structural conditions and forms of adaptation (with particular focus on coastal areas). The analysis covered seaside areas as well, but only in the context of their functional relation with sea areas. The entire investigation was conducted from the perspective of maritime sailing tourism (yachts and other recreational crafts).

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The purpose of this article is to fill in the gap in knowledge about early academic work on tourism which had developed first of all in Europe. The author has tried to achieve this aim by conducting a retrospective analysis of chronological and institutional-methodological aspects of the evolution of tourism studies. As a result, he has distinguished two aspects (each divided into two): 1) chronological: a period of precursors and a formal academic period; 2) methodological: research within one discipline and interdisciplinary research. The results enabled the author to formulate general conclusions for critical discussion. It primarily concerns the domination of the English language and the Anglo-American tradition in the literature which is the reason why the global picture of achievements in tourism studies is incomplete and thus imperfect. The accomplishments of smaller, yet well-established, “national schools” are often ignored and remain almost unknown internationally. The author hopes that the article will be an encouragement to undertake research on early tourism studies in individual countries and to publish its results internationally as this will broaden knowledge of the origins of academic work in tourism.