Revealing the nexus between tourism development and CO2 emissions in Asia: does asymmetry matter?

Asia is one of the fastest-growing regions in international tourism, economic growth, and CO2 emissions around the globe. However, the relationships between tourism and CO2 emissions are little and unclearly identified. The purpose of the study is to explore the asymmetric nexus between tourism and CO2 emissions in a panel of five high emitters Asian countries covering the period of 1995-2019 by using panel-NARDL-AMG. The empirical results reveal that a positive shock in tourism arrivals increases CO2 emissions, while a negative shock also increases CO2 emissions in the long run. Moreover, a negative shock has a greater effect on CO2 emissions than a positive shock in Asia in the long run. Tourism receipts are expected to maintain the robustness of CO2 emissions in the long run in Asian economies. The authorities should develop and design green international tourism activities in the Asian economies.

Automated summary

Asia is a rapidly growing region in terms of tourism, economic growth, and CO2 emissions. However, the relationship between tourism and CO2 emissions is not well understood. This study reveals that an increase in tourism arrivals leads to an increase in CO2 emissions, while a negative shock also increases CO2 emissions in the long term. Additionally, the negative shock has a greater impact on CO2 emissions than the positive shock in Asia. The findings suggest that tourism receipts play a significant role in maintaining the stability of CO2 emissions in Asian economies. It is recommended for authorities to develop and promote green international tourism activities in Asia.