Goal programming synthetic indicators: An application for sustainable tourism in Andalusian coastal counties

This paper proposes a methodology for obtaining a synthetic indicator to facilitate decision making in practical situations. It is based on goals provided by the users, which will be included in a synthetic indicator by a goal-programming approach. This methodology facilitates interpreting the values of the synthetic indicator, and thus helps in the decision-making process. We not only formulate these indicators, but also analyze their properties and apply them to the analysis of a complex concept, sustainable tourism. We use this methodology to study the case of coastal areas of Andalusia (Spain), attempting to identify the main characteristics of the different elements, their weakness and strengths.