Evaluation of the tourist attractiveness of Annaba’s beaches between potential, expectations, and enhancement prospects

In a global context where territories compete with each other, the notion of attractiveness remains an essential lever for coastal development. The objective of this research is to measure, compare, and evaluate the potential for tourist attractiveness of the beaches in the inter-municipalities of Annaba, agglomeration which the latter being considered a major hub on the eastern Algerian coasts, mobilizing the ELECTRE III (Elimination and Choice Translating Reality method) multi-criteria method, which conceived not as an end in itself but as a decision-making tool capable of ranking seaside performance and guiding development choices. Eleven beaches were analyzed according to their degree of attractiveness through a family of six weighted criteria. The results obtained highlight a clear hierarchy of beaches across five levels. Rizi Amor beach occupies an ideal position at the top of the ranking with very strong attractiveness, the two beaches La Caroube and Refes Zahouene 2 occupy second position with strong attractiveness, while, Belvedere II, Annasr, and Rezgui Rachid I beaches are in the last class with weak attractiveness. Beyond the ranking, the observed differences reflect variations in management, governance, and enhancement. ELECTRE III thus asserts itself as an analytical and prospective instrument, capable of supporting integrated Annabi coastal planning and even a balanced requalification of the Algerian coastline.