Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of environmental efficiency for China's hotel sector: new evidence through metafrontier global Malmquist-Luenberger

With the adding of tourist volume in China, carbon emissions from hotel sector increased greatly. Environmental efficiency of hotel sector considering technology heterogeneity is mainly analyzed across different regions of China from 2000 to 2013. Metafrontier global Malmquist-Luenberger (ML) is implemented to evaluate environmental efficiency of hotel sector. Furthermore, we analyze whether technology heterogeneity of different regions increased or not through technological gap ratio. The empirical analysis revealed that the east had the highest environmental efficiency under metafrontier after 2009. After 2009, technological gap ratio (TGR) in the east ranked highest among four regions in China. Environmental regulation positively impacts environmental efficiency under group frontier of hotel sector in the model of nation, east, and middle. Urbanization has U-shaped link with environmental efficiency of hotel sector for the east. It is important to strengthen environmental regulation to reduce carbon emissions. Last, it is important to enhance consciousness of energy abating and carbon emissions reduction of hotel customers.