Optimization of touristic distribution netwoorks using genetic algorithms

Abstract

The eight basic elements to design genetic algorithms (GA) are described and applied to solve a low demand distribution problem of passengers for a hub airport in Alicante and 30 touristic destinations in Northern Africa and Western Europe. The flexibility of GA and the possibility of creating mutually beneficial feed-back processes with human intelligence to solve complex problems as well as the difficulties in detecting erroneous codes embedded in the software are described. A new three-parent edge mapped recombination operator is used to solve the capacitated vehicle routing problem required for estimating associated costs with touristic distribution networks of low demand. GA proved to be very flexible especially in changing business environments and to solve decision-making problems involving ambiguous and sometimes contradictory constraints.