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Does a country need good institutions to use tourism as an economic development activator? From a sample of non-organisation for economic co-operation and development countries, this article aims to assess the feasibility of tourism-led growth in different institutional settings. The results not only suggest that a tourism shock is good for gross domestic product growth but that inclusive institutions enhance the ability of a country to convert tourism into growth. It also emphasises that beyond tourism that remains a major transmission channel for growth, inclusive countries largely benefit from growth in their neighbouring countries. They are more able to import economic growth from abroad.

The literature on short-term rental emphasises the heterogeneity of the hosts population. Some argue that professional and opportunistic hosts differ in terms of their pricing strategy. This study highlights how differences in market perception and information create a price differential between professional and non-professional players. Proposing an original and accurate definition of professional hosts, we rely on a large dataset of almost 9000 properties and 73,000 observations to investigate the pricing behaviour of Airbnb sellers in Corsica (France). Using OLS and the double-machine learning methods, we demonstrate that a price differential exists between professional and opportunistic sellers. In addition, we assess the impact of seasonality in demand on the size and direction of this price differential. We find that professionals perceive a higher degree of market power than others during the peak season and it allows them to enhance their revenues.

International audience; The literature on the peer-to-peer hospitality market largely assumes that Airbnb hosts are loyal to the platform. However, similar to hoteliers, Airbnb hosts have access to various platforms to diversify their distribution channels. In cases where hosts significantly diversify their distribution channels, they should be considered rather as professional competitors mimicking hoteliers. Proposing an original image-recognition approach to obtain a proxy of the number of platforms used by Airbnb hosts, this paper assesses the probability that a home-sharer practices multichannel distribution. Drawing on a sample of more than 3900 hosts from the region of Corsica in France, we show that a multichannel distribution strategy is commonly adopted. Furthermore, a significant fraction of small hosts uses three or more channels.

In a context in which the tourism industry is jeopardised by the COVID-19 pandemic, and potentially by other pandemics in the future, the capacity to produce accurate forecasts is crucial to stakeholders and policy-makers. This paper attempts to forecast the recovery of tourism demand for 2021 in 20 destinations worldwide. An original scenario-based judgemental forecast based on the definition of a Covid-19 Risk Exposure index is proposed to overcome the limitations of traditional forecasting methods. Three scenarios are proposed, and ex ante forecasts are generated for each destination using a baseline forecast, the developed index and a judgemental approach. The limitations and potential developments of this new forecasting model are then discussed.

No effort has been made to connect good governance and the performance of the tourism industry at the country level. We take a first step to provide empirical evidence of this positive effect. Based on a data set of 100 countries between 2002 and 2012, the impact of the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) on the tourism industry is analyzed, controlling also for demographic, economic and environmental factors. Using a dynamic panel data approach, we highlight the role played by good governance in explaining differences in countries’ tourism performances, measured here as inbound tourism expenditures per inhabitant. We also observe that the impact of WGI is even higher among low-openness countries.

The aim of this paper is to answer a simple question: Are fluctuations, and especially temporary slow-downs or decline, in frequentation always harmful for a tourism destination? I propose a simple theoretical model for a nature-based destination, in which the willingness to pay (WTP) of a tourist for the destination depends on the environmental quality of the destination. I hypothesize that, at some points in time, there exists a rational economic incentive to experience a decrease in frequentation for a while in order to let the stock of natural assets regenerates since the fall in environmental quality is associated with a lower willingness to pay for the destination. Then I use a sample of 80 seaside hotels of Corsica to show that the WTP of tourists for a night-stay positively depends on environmental quality. Results indicate that a deterioration of the environmental quality of the destination would reduce the willingness to pay for a nigh-stay in Corsica of more than 25%. It tends to confirm my initial hypothesis since if the environmental quality of Corsica falls rational hotel owner should ask for a limited and temporary slow-down in frequentation so that environmental quality and the WTP reach again a higher and more profitable level.

As tourism is becoming one of the most important sectors of the world economy, the number of small islands trying to develop a competitive tourist activity is increasing and this strategy appears as growth enhancing. In most cases, it relies on the environmental quality of the destination, but also on lodging infrastructures and related services that tourists deserve in order to enjoy a good experience. This paper explores the intertemporal trade-off between investments and environmental quality preservation needed to ensure tourism profitability in the long run. It highlights the possible cyclical evolution of environmental quality, tourist infrastructures, investments and visitor numbers, considering both the central planner and the market solutions.