Tourism is considered a competent driver of development in emerging economies. This study assesses the role of tourism in shaping the fundamental pillars of development in developing economies by targeting the case of Pakistan. Various econometric techniques and approaches were used to investigate the causal relationships of tourism with economic growth, energy and agriculture development, and poverty. This study highlights the important role of tourism in the development of emerging economies. The findings of our study suggest that a 1% increase in tourism significantly enhances gross domestic product (GPD) by 0.051%, foreign direct investment by 2.647%, energy development by 0.134%, and agriculture development by 0.26%, and reduces poverty by 0.51% in the long run. Hence, policy-makers should be informed that through public interventions, tourism can advance development by the design and implementation of integrated policies in developing economies. In addition, policy consistency and coherence are essential for competitiveness, sustainability, and maximizing benefits from tourism.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the psychological factors that motivate travelers to consider reusing Airbnb. Design/methodology/approach: This study proposes and tests an integrative model that synthesizes the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Prospect Theory (PT) and other Airbnb-relevant constructs (unique experience expectation, familiarity and electronic word of mouth) as the primary determinants of the Airbnb repurchase intention using an structural equation model (SEM) approach. Findings: Both attitude and subject norms are significant determinants of repurchase intention, whereas perceived behavioral control is not. In addition, perceived value and risk have only direct significant impacts on attitude and, in turn, indirectly affect repurchase intention. Unique experience expectation, familiarity and electronic word of mouth exert direct and indirect influences on repurchase intention. Research limitations/implications: This study extends the body of knowledge by integrating TPB and PT to investigate consumer repurchase intention in Airbnb, which provides a theoretical baseline and serves as a starting point for exploring the structural relationships of Airbnb and the sharing economy. Practical implications: Airbnb should place more emphasis on value packages and authentic/unique travel experience to retain and attract more travelers. More safety/security programs should be put in place and clearly communicated to reduce the perceived risks. In addition, Airbnb may publicize positive word of mouth and introduce and expand familiarity programs to incentivize Airbnb travelers. Originality/value: This study explores the psychological reasons why travelers will re-patronize Airbnb, providing insights into the motives of Airbnb travelers. A clear understanding of Airbnb travelers’ repurchase intention will facilitate to develop effective strategies for Airbnb to induce positive repurchase behaviors.

Tourism contributions to economic growth and well-being have been widely acknowledged; however, its impacts on the environment demand an integrated approach to policy improvement across institutions in the emerging economies for the development of sustainable tourism practices. This study investigates the causal relationship between tourism, economic growth (GDP, capital investment), energy consumption, and environmental pollutants in developing economies, explicitly focusing on the case of Pakistan. Various econometric procedures and techniques were applied to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings suggest that economic growth support tourism development. Tourists’ arrivals have a significant positive impact on energy consumption, capital investment, and CO₂ emissions; besides, environmental pollutant (CO₂) causes negative effects on tourism. The results suggest that a 1 unit increase in tourism increases CO₂ emissions metric tons per capita by 0.26 units in the long-run. A 1 unit increase in capital investment increases CO₂ emissions metric tons per capita by 0.21 units, and a 1 unit increase in energy consumption increases CO₂ emissions metric tons per capita by 0.51 units in the long-run. In the short-run, a 1 unit increase in tourism, capital investment, and energy consumption rises CO₂ emissions metric tons per capita by 0.045, 0.04, and 0.08 units, respectively. Sustainable tourism remains a sole option in developing economies to enhance the competitiveness of tourism as a tool for friendly developments. Thus, tourism policies are needed to be integrated with overall economic, environmental, and energy policies to encourage the shift towards sustainable tourism development to minimize environmental pollution.

Despite increased concerns about the negative economic impacts of tourism on host communities, insufficient attention has been paid to assess tourism’s economic sustainability. This article aims to develop and validate a framework for assessing economic sustainability from the perspective of local stakeholders. In-depth interviews with 12 major stakeholders and telephone surveys with 1,839 Hong Kong citizens were conducted. The tourism economic sustainability construct consisted of three dimensions: economic positivity, development control, and individual welfare. The reliability and validity of the dimensions were confirmed by the data of subsamples. The links between sociodemographic characteristics and attitudes toward tourism economic sustainability were evaluated. This article enhanced our understanding of tourism economic sustainability by expanding the measurement from the macro-level to the micro-level. Using the study setting in Hong Kong, it transcends previous analyses by providing a context to learn from ongoing controversies about the effects of tourism on the host communities.

Purpose: This study aims to develop a comprehensive framework for assessing servicescape of cruise tourism and provides practical suggestions to improve the perception of Chinese tourists toward cruise servicescape. Design/methodology/approach: A multistage mixed-method design was used in the sequence of in-depth interviews (n = 18), expert panel (n = 5), on-site survey (n = 317) and online survey (n = 300). Grounded theory, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess cruise tourism servicescape. Findings: The cruise tourism servicescape construct was identified with six dimensions: facilities and décor, natural scenery, onshore excursions, onboard entertainment, social interactions and dining services. These dimensions were in the order of importance, as perceived by Chinese tourists. Practical implications: Cruise lines operating large ships can be more attractive to Chinese consumers than luxury cruise lines operating smaller vessels. Cruise operators can enhance perceived servicescape by integrating natural and built environments, such as air, sea and on-shore tours. Services provided by foreign crew members may serve as a strong selling point for Chinese tourists. Consumer-to-consumer activities may be introduced into the Chinese market. Cruise operators may also provide quality meal service in terms of variety, quality and flexibility. Originality/value: Considering that minimal research has been conducted on cruise servicescape scale development, this study serves as the first empirical research effort in this regard. The findings also identify the specific needs of Chinese tourists, which is a fast-growing market in the cruise industry.

Chinese outbound travel is thriving, with seniors taking an increasing market share. However, although outbound travel in general has been researched quite well, little is known specifically about the outbound travel behavior of Chinese seniors, or the effects of information technology (IT) on their vacation patterns. This study is an initial and exploratory attempt to understand the relation between IT usage and tourism behavior (travel motivation, travel intention, and sociodemographics) of Chinese senior outbound travelers. The results reveal four segments of IT usage, each with significantly different traveler profiles in terms of sociodemographics, travel motivation, and travel intention.