Going the distance? A meta-analysis of the deterring effect of distance in tourism

Thomas de Graaff, Elisa Panzera and Henri L. F. de Groot
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Thomas de Graaff: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Tinbergen Institute
Elisa Panzera: Politecnico di Milano
Henri L. F. de Groot: University of Amsterdam and Tinbergen Institute

No 25-031/VIII, Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers from Tinbergen Institute

Abstract: This meta-analysis summarizes and explains the variation in the deterring effect of distance on tourism flows by analyzing 870 estimates from 139 primary studies utilizing data covering the last 25 years. We find substantial heterogeneity among studies that mostly correlates with (unobserved) study characteristics, estimation methods, and locations of origin and destination. We confirm previous findings that the mean total distance-decay effect, using preferred methods and datastructures, is close to a unit elasticity in absolute value (-0.99). However, when controlling for mediator variables, we find that the direct, physical, distance-decay effect is significantly lower (-0.83). This distance-decay effect is remarkably stable over the last 25 years and reveals a positive relation between distance and the total amount of tourists.

Keywords: Meta-analysis; distance-decay; tourism flows; gravity models (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: R11 Z32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-04-25
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-tur
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