Tourism Transport-Related CO2 Emissions and Economic Growth: A Deeper Perspective from Decomposing Driving Effects

Abstract

This study explores the intricate dynamics of CO2 emissions stemming from transport within the tourism sector. It aims to unravel the multidimensional aspects of how transport-related tourism contributes to CO2 emissions and to elucidate the complex relationship between regional economic growth and CO2 emissions from transport-related tourism. Our study employed Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) and Panel Vector Autoregression (PVAR) models to analyze data from 30 Chinese provincial regions between 2010 and 2018. The tourism transport-related CO2 emissions were decomposed into four separate driving effects using the LMDI approach. Then, PVAR models were constructed to reveal dynamic interactions between each driving effect and per capita gross regional product (GRP). Our results demonstrate a decrease in both energy structure effect (tourism transport-related CO2 emissions from energy structure) and energy intensity effect (tourism transport-related CO2 emissions from energy intensity) during the pre-COVID decade. Notably, the positive impulse response of energy structure effect to per capita GRP is observed. However, we found no evidence of a cointegrated relationship between energy intensity effect and regional economic growth, although other factors demonstrated connections. These findings echo the necessity to integrate sustainable practices into the tourism transportation business, especially in the area of energy structure, in order to mitigate adverse environmental effects from tourism. This paper disseminates the main drivers of CO2 emissions in the tourism transport sector and their interrelationship with regional economic growth. It not only guides tourism policymakers in targeting efforts to reduce carbon footprints, but also sets a new benchmark for future studies on CO2 emissions.