The Relationship Between International Tourism Activities and Economic Growth: Evidence from China's Economy

This study explores the causal relationship between international tourism receipts and economic growth in China's 11 eastern provinces, accounting for both dependency and heterogeneity across provinces. The empirical results support evidence for the growth hypothesis in the province such as Hebei. A reverse relationship supports evidence on the conservation hypothesis for the provinces, such as Liaoning, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shandong and Guangdong. A neutrality hypothesis supported 5 of these 11 major provinces (i.e. Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Hainan).