| By: |
Christoph Vietze (Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, Department of Economics, Chair for Economic Policy) |
| Abstract: |
In this paper we discuss the effects of cultural - and particular religious -
factors on tourist flows into the USA as the world largest tourism
destination. To estimate this empirically we run an augmented gravity
equation. Our results give evidence that the gravity equation is an adequate
instrument to explain variations in international tourist flows. With respect
to the aim of the paper, we have found that cultural proximity between country
of origin and country of destination have positive effects on the tourism
flows between these countries. In particular, after controlling for a set of
geographic variables, people from countries with the same language (English)
and the same high governmental rankings like the USA, travel more into the USA
for holiday than people from other countries. Above all, we have clear and
stable evidence that tourists from Christian countries prefer the USA as
holiday destination much stronger than people from other countries. This
supports our argument that people wishing to go on holiday to countries with a
similar cultural and political background. |
| Keywords: |
tourism, cultural factors, religion |
| JEL: |
F14 L83 Z12 |
| Date: |
2008–05–19 |
| URL: |
http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:jrp:jrpwrp:2008-037&r=cul |