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How Fast are Small Tourist Countries Growing? The 1980-2003 Evidence

Author

Listed:
  • Francesco Pigliaru

    (University of Cagliari)

  • Rinaldo Brau

    (University of Cagliari)

  • Alessandro Lanza

    (Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei and CRENoS)

Abstract

We analyze the empirical relationship between growth, country size and tourism specialization by using a dataset covering the period 1980-2003. We find that tourism countries grow significantly faster than all the other sub-groups considered in our analysis. Tourism appears to be an independent determining factor for growth, and the reason for that is neither because they are poorer than the average, nor because they are very open to trade. Another finding of our paper is that small states are fast-growing only when they are highly specialized in tourism. In contrast with some previous conclusions in the literature, smallness per se is not good for growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Pigliaru & Rinaldo Brau & Alessandro Lanza, 2007. "How Fast are Small Tourist Countries Growing? The 1980-2003 Evidence," Working Papers 2007.1, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    • Handle: RePEc:fem:femwpa:2007.1
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Valente, Simone, 2005. "Growth, Conventional Production and Tourism Specialisation: Technological Catching-up Versus Terms-of-Trade Effects," Natural Resources Management Working Papers 12139, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Small States; Growth; Tourism; Cross Country Comparisons;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries

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