@article{article_1823572, title={Analysis of tour guide selection in Mevlana cultural tours using the TOPSIS method}, journal={Çatalhöyük International Journal of Tourism Research}, pages={62–79}, year={2025}, url={https://izlik.org/JA74PN33TM}, author={Foroughi, Saeid and Karaman, Abdullah}, keywords={Tour guide, cultural tourism, service quality, cultural sensitivity}, abstract={This study aims to objectively select the most suitable tour guides for Rumi-themed cultural tours in Konya, Turkey, by identifying key service quality determinants. Employing the TOPSIS multicriteria decision-making method, the research analyses six critical criteria communication skills, knowledge, foreign language proficiency, guest satisfaction, cultural sensitivity, and crisis/group management rated by expert opinions. A decision matrix was constructed to normalize, weight, and compare candidates, calculating their proximity to the ideal solution. The results demonstrate that a guide’s level of knowledge and cultural sensitivity are the most decisive factors for this specific tourism context. Theoretically, this paper fills a literature gap by presenting a practical human resource management model for cultural and faith-based tourism and emphasizing the guide’s vital role as a knowledge transmitter and service quality guarantor. Practically, it provides a systematic, transparent, and repeatable framework that reduces subjective judgements in guide selection. The study concludes that TOPSIS is a viable, data-driven model for evaluating guide performance.}, number={14}, organization={No financial or in-kind support was received from any individual or institution during the preparation of this study.}