Study on measurement and drivers of low-carbon tourism eco-efficiency: evidence from Jiangsu Province

Abstract

In order to explore practical ways to test the eco-efficiency of low-carbon tourism and its drivers in Jiangsu Province, this paper empirically tests the effects of selected driving variables on the eco-efficiency of low-carbon tourism using a spatial lag model. It measures the eco-efficiency of low-carbon tourism in 13 prefecture-level cities in Jiangsu Province based on a modified two-stage network SBM model. According to the direct effect test results, per capita tourism income (PTI) had the most significant effect on the eco-efficiency of low-carbon tourism, with an impact coefficient of 0.5437, environmental pollution governance (EPG) had the second most significant effect, energy consumption intensity (ECI) and carbon emission intensity (CEI) had adverse effects with effect coefficients of - 0.3815 and - 0.4415, respectively, and R&D input intensity (RDII) had the slightest effect on the eco-efficiency of low-carbon tourism, with an impact coefficient of - 0.0836. According to indirect effect test results, RDII has the most significant positive effect with a coefficient of 0.3848, PTI has the second most significant adverse effect on the eco-efficiency of low-carbon tourism with a coefficient of - 0.3245, ECI has the third most significant adverse effect with a coefficient of - 0.2567, EPG has the fourth largest positive effect with a coefficient of 0.2162, and CEI has the slightest adverse effect with an impact coefficient of - 0.2147.