Green energy, pollution, and ecological resilience in China's tourism

Abstract

In recent decades, China's environmental problems and rapid urbanization redirected the course of its tourism industry. Against the backdrop of increasing alarm on climate change, air quality pollution, and energy resources sustainability, it is now imperative to understand their collective impact on tourism. The adoption of green energy, environmental pollution, and tourist arrivals are interrelated in this study, centering on China's dynamic tourism environment. Spanning from 1975 to 2022, the study employs the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator for parameter estimates. The findings reveal a negative relationship between international visitor arrivals and factors such as renewable energy consumption, economic development, and transit services. Conversely, the average temperature emerges as a significant factor that positively influences the potential for international tourism. Granger causality estimates support several hypotheses, including the notion that tourism drives carbon emissions and economic development, tourism propels transport services, renewable energy fuels economic growth, emissions drive economic growth, and temperature influences emissions within a nation. The results can foster the development of environmentally conscious and economically resilient tourist sectors.