Spatial Multi‑criteria Site Selection for Ecotourism Suitability Mapping: A Case Study of Mount Abidar, Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, Iran

• Logistic Regression (LR) model achieved higher accuracy than Logistic Model Tree (LMT) in identifying suitable eco-camp sites (AUC=0.85). • Integration of remote sensing data, GIS techniques, and expert knowledge provided an effective multi-criteria framework for sustainable tourism site selection. • Final suitability maps serve as decision-support tools for policymakers and planners, with LR-based results recommended as the primary guide. This research identifies and maps suitable areas for establishing eco-camps to support sustainable tourism development on Abidar Tourism Mountain, Sanandaj, Kurdistan, Iran. Two modelling approaches of Logistic Regression (LR) and Logistic Model Tree (LMT) were implemented to generate spatial suitability assessments. An inventory map of 100 candidate sites was compiled from field surveys, expert and stakeholder consultations, Sentinel-2 imagery, and Google Earth imageries. These records were partitioned into 80% for model training and 20% for independent testing. A total number of twelve environmental variables of elevation, slope, land-use, hillshade, geology, proximity to fault lines, safe haven, distance to landslide locations, distance to river networks, river density, proximity to roads and roads density were used in this study. Model performance was assessed using Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and overall classification accuracy. Both models demonstrated acceptable predictive capability for eco-camp site selection, with the LR model outperforming the LMT model (LR: AUC = 0.85, RMSE = 0.3; LMT: AUC = 0.75, RMSE = 0.4). Results of suitability maps delineate priority areas for eco-camp development and provide an evidence-based decision support tool for policymakers and planners. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of integrating spatial modelling, remote sensing data, and expert knowledge for sustainable tourism site selection. In addition, recommends the LR-derived suitability map as the primary guide for eco-camp establishment in the study area.