Comparative Analysis of Per-Tourist and Total Carbon Emissions Generated in Hospitality and Tourism Sectors:Impact on Climate Change and Implications for Economy, Society, and Environment

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explores the implications of per-tourist and total carbon emissions generated across diverse sectors within the hospitality & tourism industry on climate change, as well as their secondary impacts on the economy, society, and environment. Employing a nonlinear framework, we investigate proposed hypotheses using panel data spanning a decade across 16 countries, employing threshold regression and a mediating effect model for analysis. The results reveal distinct nonlinear effects of per-tourist and total carbon emissions from each hospitality & tourism sector on climate change, as well as on the broader domains of the economy, society, and environment. While the total carbon emissions from the transportation sector have the most significant overall impact on climate change, per-tourist carbon emissions originating from the accommodation sector emerge as a more prominent contributor to climate change on a per tourist basis, followed by attractions & others, food & beverage, and transportation sectors. Considering the diverse levels of per-tourist carbon emissions, it becomes evident that the influence of each hospitality & tourism sector on the economy, society, and environment displays notable disparity. These findings emphasize the importance of developing targeted and tailored strategies to address climate change within individual hospitality & tourism sectors, rather than employing a uniform approach across the entire industry.