The political dimension of tourism: New insights into freedom of expression and tourism development

Abstract

Tourism, vital for global economic recovery post-pandemic, receives extensive attention. While economic and socio-cultural factors dominate inbound tourism studies, the political dimension remains elusive. Limited research delves into the political economy of tourism, primarily focusing on institutions, neglecting freedom of expression's potential impact on international tourists' destination preferences. This study addresses this gap by examining the drivers of inbound tourism across 137 countries from 2002 to 2020 using the Two-way Fixed Effects estimator, focusing on freedom of expression. Political instability and economic indicators such as per capita income, trade, exchange rates, and foreign direct investment (FDI) are control variables. Results underscore freedom of expression's pivotal role in bolstering tourist arrivals, especially in low-income nations, while political instability impedes tourism. Income and trade openness are positively associated with tourist arrivals, contrasting with FDI and exchange rate findings. Policymakers should prioritize freedom of expression and stability to boost tourism.