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How new airport infrastructure promotes tourism: evidence from a synthetic control approach in German regions

Author

Listed:
  • Luisa Doerr
  • Florian Dorn
  • Stefanie Gaebler
  • Niklas Potrafke

Abstract

The paper examines how new airport infrastructure influences regional tourism. Identification is based on the conversion of a military airbase into a regional commercial airport in the German state of Bavaria. The new airport opened in 2007 and promotes travelling to the touristic region of Allgäu in the Bavarian Alps. A synthetic control approach is used to show that the new commercial airport increased tourism in the Allgäu region over the period 2008–16. The positive effect is especially pronounced in the county in which the airport is located. The results suggest that new transportation infrastructure promotes regional economic development.

Suggested Citation

  • Luisa Doerr & Florian Dorn & Stefanie Gaebler & Niklas Potrafke, 2020. "How new airport infrastructure promotes tourism: evidence from a synthetic control approach in German regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(10), pages 1402-1412, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:regstd:v:54:y:2020:i:10:p:1402-1412
    DOI: 10.1080/00343404.2020.1714022
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    Cited by:

    1. Pablo Brichetti, Juan & Sánchez González, Santiago & Giraldez, Francisca & Serebrisky, Tomás, 2024. "The airport access gap in Latin America and the Caribbean," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    2. Ouni, Manel & Mraihi, Rafaa, 2025. "Air transportation and inclusive growth in Tunisia: Evidence from Autoregressive Distributed Lag and wavelet coherence approach," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    3. Erick Lahura & Rosario Sabrera, 2023. "The effect of infrastructure investment on tourism demand: a synthetic control approach for the case of Kuelap, Peru," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 65(1), pages 443-478, July.
    4. Wu, Hanjun & Hong Tsui, Kan Wai & Ngo, Thanh & Lin, Yi-Hsin, 2023. "Airport subsidies impact on wellbeing of smaller regions: A systemic examination in New Zealand," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 26-36.
    5. Pot, Felix Johan & Koster, Sierdjan, 2022. "Small airports: Runways to regional economic growth?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    6. Pantelis Kammas & Maria Poulima & Vassilis Sarantides, 2025. "Investing in the roots of your political ancestors," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 32(2), pages 595-624, April.
    7. Hannes Wallimann & Widar von Arx & Ann Hesse, 2025. "The Effect of the Gotthard Base Tunnel on Road Traffic: A Synthetic Control Approach," Papers 2505.21129, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2025.
    8. Bowen Liu & John R. Bryson & Deniz Sevinc & Matthew A. Cole & Robert J. R. Elliott & Suzanne E. Bartington & William J. Bloss & Zongbo Shi, 2023. "Assessing the Impacts of Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone on Air Quality: Estimates from a Machine Learning and Synthetic Control Approach," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 86(1), pages 203-231, October.
    9. Chow, Clement Kong Wing & Tsui, Wai Hong Kan & Wu, Hanjun, 2021. "Airport subsidies and domestic inbound tourism in China," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    10. Teniwut, Wellem Anselmus & Hamid, Syahibul Kahfi & Makailipessy, Marvin Mario, 2022. "Developing a masterplan for a sustainable marine sector in a small islands region: Integrated MCE spatial analysis for decision making," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    11. Mona Foertsch & Felix Roesel, 2023. "Public Infrastructure and Regional Resilience: Evidence from the 1918 Spanish Flu in Germany," CESifo Working Paper Series 10705, CESifo.
    12. Wallimann, Hannes & Blättler, Kevin & von Arx, Widar, 2023. "Do price reductions attract customers in urban public transport? A synthetic control approach," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    13. Hannes Wallimann & Kevin Blattler & Widar von Arx, 2021. "Do price reductions attract customers in urban public transport? A synthetic control approach," Papers 2111.14613, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2022.
    14. Eckhardt, Yannick & Hoffmann, Jakob & Namberger, Philipp, 2025. "Exceptional Architecture and Touristic Impact: A Synthetic Control Study of Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie," SocArXiv fz3bg_v1, Center for Open Science.
    15. Boto-García, David & Pérez, Levi, 2023. "The effect of high-speed rail connectivity and accessibility on tourism seasonality," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    16. Zhao, Li & Gao, Zhengye & Ren, Shenggang, 2024. "The effects of long–distance power transmission on employment growth: Empirical evidence from ultra–high voltage projects of China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    17. Duarte, Rosa & García-Riazuelo, Álvaro & Sáez, Luis Antonio & Sarasa, Cristina, 2022. "Economic and territorial integration of renewables in rural areas: Lessons from a long-term perspective," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    18. Hannes Wallimann, 2022. "A complementary product of a nearby ski lift company," Tourism Economics, , vol. 28(2), pages 418-434, March.
    19. Marchesani, Filippo & Ceci, Giuseppe, 2026. "Taming the white elephant: How smart cities leverage mega events for advancing digital technologies," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • Z38 - Other Special Topics - - Tourism Economics - - - Policy
    • L93 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Air Transportation

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