Do Cultural Activities and Happiness Matter to the Tourism Sector?

Astike Kristina (), Borges Ana Pinto (), Skvarciany Viktorija () and Vieira Elvira ()
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Astike Kristina: Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania
Borges Ana Pinto: ISAG - European Business Shool, Porto, Portugal & Research Centre in Business Sciences and Tourism (CICETFCVC), Porto, Portugal & Center for Research in Organizations, Markets and Industrial Management (COMEGI), Porto, Portugal
Skvarciany Viktorija: Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania
Vieira Elvira: ISAG - European Business School & Research Center in Business Sciences and Tourism (CICET-FCVC), Porto, Portugal; & IPVC- Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, Viana do Castelo, Portugal; Applied Management Research Unit (UNIAG), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança Portugal

Economics and Culture, 2024, vol. 21, issue 1, 93-104

Abstract: Research purpose. The primary goal of this research is to determine the impact of the efficiency of the tourism sector in the European Union (EU). Design / Methodology / Approach. The analysis involved 25 selected EU countries using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and the Tobit regression modelling. For DEA expenses according to the stays per visit (1 night or over) when going to a foreign country, individuals actively working in the tourism industry and tangible heritage inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) are used as inputs and inbound tourism as an output. Variables for the Tobit model were as follows: cultural activities, Happiness index and tourist expenditure of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Findings. In nations characterised by lower efficiency levels, policymakers ought to enhance their strategies and encourage the advancement of their country's appeal to tourists. Additionally, there should be an increased emphasis on enhancing the well-being and happiness of the local population. Originality / Value / Practical implications. Theoretical research on the efficiency of the tourism sector in the EU lacks comprehensive studies that systematically examine the factors influencing efficiency across diverse EU member states. Although some research exists on specific aspects of tourism efficiency, such as environmental sustainability or economic impacts, there is a scarcity of holistic investigations that encompass various dimensions of efficiency, including resource utilization, infrastructure development, policy effectiveness, and socio-cultural impacts, within the EU's overarching context. Moreover, there is a limited exploration of potential variations in tourism efficiency among different EU regions and the underlying factors driving these differences. Bridging this research gap could offer valuable insights for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and academics seeking to enhance the overall efficiency and sustainability of the tourism sector in the EU. The study’s constraint lies in the exclusion of Denmark and Luxembourg, which is attributed to insufficient statistical data.

Keywords: cultural activities; tourism sector; Happiness Index; data envelopment analysis; efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C83 D1 H1 L83 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:vrs:ecocul:v:21:y:2024:i:1:p:93-104:n:1007

DOI: 10.2478/jec-2024-0007

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