Improving the Strategic Management of UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy: Integrating Sensitivity Analysis and Tourism Destination Image Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process

The globalization of tourism poses complex challenges for destination planning and management, requiring the involvement of various stakeholders and strategic decision-making at various scales. Gastronomic tourism, a key factor in tourist satisfaction and loyalty, has been widely studied for its impact on tourism destination image (TDI). Despite advances in methodologies such as the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), which hierarchies the factors that influence TDI, there are still gaps in the use of sensitivity analysis to improve strategic planning, in particular to leverage TDI as a management tool. Specifically in UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy (UCCG), it is crucial to understand how sensitivity analysis can improve the robustness of AHP models. To address this gap, this study investigates how sensitivity analysis can refine decision-making processes for effective tourism management in Brazil’s UCCG. Using AHP as a decision-making methodology, it integrates sensitivity analysis to assess the reliability of six dimensions in the Analytic Hierarchy Process Image—UNESCO Creative Cities Gastronomy (AHPI-UCCG) model, introducing a dynamic approach to dealing with the complexities of destination planning. The results are valuable for policy-makers and private players in the tourism, creativity, and gastronomy sectors. They offer practical perspectives for improving destination promotion and encouraging coopetition. The study also demonstrates the adaptability of this approach based on sensitivity analysis, suggesting its applicability beyond Brazil to other UCCG networks, contributing to better tourism planning and management at a global level.