The land use decisions and planning processes deal with large volumes of basic data where technical knowledge must be coordinated with the decision makers’ visions of society. This fact makes spatial planning quite a complicated process. The issue is much more complicated when land use decisions concern a desert zone with limited resources. This study addresses a regional scale zoning issue through cartographic modeling using Multi Criteria Evaluation in a geographic information environment through a case study. The main objectives of this research are to explore the model potential of providing an answer to the suitability of the Suez Governorate for a tourism development strategy. Also to provide a decision support tool for land use planners. Remotely sensed data such as Landsat ETM+, SPOT and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission were used for this study. A geographic database was established at a national scale. Multiple Criteria Evaluation techniques were used in a geographic information system environment to produce the land suitability index for agriculture development. Factors that promote tourism activities were identified, ranked, weighted and overlaid in a cartographic model. The product of the model was a suitability index map for tourism. Such map was further classified and analyzed for proposing various scenarios for marine, safari and cultural tourism. Some recommended zones were found to be in conflict with the petroleum extraction and quarry activities. This technique provides a transparent tool that can bridge the gap between various stakeholders, decision makers, environmental managers and urban planners.