A meta-analysis of econometrics studies of tourism and low-carbon development

Inconclusive findings across different empirical studies have been found regarding the effects of tourism on low-carbon development. Corresponding to these conflicting results, this study employed the meta-analytic method to examine the effects of tourist arrivals and tourism receipts on carbon emissions and energy use, respectively, based on 260 effect sizes derived from 47 selected high-quality econometrics studies. In addition, this study further tested the moderators of these effects. The results show that tourist arrivals and tourism receipts have significant positive impacts on carbon emissions and energy use. Moreover, the destination type, research method, number of instrumental variables, the midpoint of the research period, and the research period significantly moderate these effects. This study finally discussed these results and highlighted the theoretical implications for future research and practical implications for the sustainable development of tourist destinations where decision-makers seek both low-carbon transition and tourism growth.