Panel Granger causality analysis of relationships between tourism and economic growth in the top eight tourist destinations

Abstract

The tourism has economic, social and political effects and contributes to the economic development of many countries. Interaction levels of national economies increase with tourism through globalization. This study aims to test the causality relationship between the components of the tourism and economic growth. The causality relationship between the components of the tourism and economic growth by using panel causality analysis method. The findings indicate a bi-directional causality relationship between growth and tourism expenditures and tourism revenues. Tourism expenditures, tourism receipts and number of international arrivals are parameters of the tourism. Real gross domestic product ratio is used as a growth indicator. The top eight tourist destinations are analyzed; Spain, Italy, Russia, Turkey, France, China, USA, UK. In this context; A panel dataset was created for the top eight tourism countries over the period 1995–2017. The arrivals of tourists, expenditure levels of tourists and tourism receipts are important indicators for the national economies. The positive effects of these indicators on the balance of payments, being a source of foreign exchange, employment creation, triggering investment in infrastructure and superstructure and creating a revitalizing effect in other sectors, have an important place in the region and country economy with their socio-cultural reflections.