The impact of tourism on municipal solid waste generation in China

Abstract

Although tourism contributes significantly to municipal solid waste generation in many countries and regions, there is a lack of empirical investigations of the underlying mechanisms of this contribution. This study addresses this knowledge gap by examining the impact of tourism on municipal solid waste generation in 31 provinces of China during the 2004–2020 period. By applying multiple statistical methods for data triangulation, the study reveals strong and significant correlation between tourist arrivals and municipal solid waste generation (the linear term: β = 0.087, p = 0.001; the quadratic term: β = -0.048, p = 0.006), which is affected by the degree of tourism specialization of a province and its gross domestic product per capita. In the provinces with low gross domestic product per capita, tourism specialization amplifies the growth effect of tourist arrivals on municipal solid waste generation, whereas in the provinces with high gross domestic product per capita, tourism specialization reduces this effect. The study improves knowledge of complex relationship between tourism and municipal solid waste generation at a provincial level. The study also provides insights to refine management practices and policies on municipal solid waste in the context of tourism in China and beyond.