The Nautical Quality Index (NaQi): Methodology and Application to the Case of Italy

The present work aims at setting up an index to rank different coastal territories. The objective is to provide insights for future developing paths: a tool in the service of public decisionmakers who govern the territories and optimize the local resources for the purpose of economic development, with the industry of boating involved. This paper offers indexes based on relevant indicators, all of which are available in advanced countries. The construction of the Nautical Quality Index (NaQi) follows a process that strictly adheres to the most reliable method of calculation: starting from 18 variables selected ad hoc, which are grouped into six synthetic indicators. The overall indicator is obtained as the sum of each partial indicator, appropriately restandardized and weighted for the vector of dimensional weighting. The resulting NaQi is therefore a general classification, obtained from the sum of six synthetic indices.