Happiness regimes and low-carbon tourism competitiveness: differentiated pathways for sustainable and resilient destinations
Issued Date
2026-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
02508281
eISSN
23200308
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105034419300
Journal Title
Tourism Recreation Research
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Tourism Recreation Research (2026)
Suggested Citation
Nahiduzzaman M., Kuri B.C., Dhar B.K., Sharoar M.G., Sultana S., Ashik M.A.I., Minhaz M. Happiness regimes and low-carbon tourism competitiveness: differentiated pathways for sustainable and resilient destinations. Tourism Recreation Research (2026). doi:10.1080/02508281.2026.2640396 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/116078
Title
Happiness regimes and low-carbon tourism competitiveness: differentiated pathways for sustainable and resilient destinations
Author's Affiliation
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Tourism competitiveness is increasingly shaped by how destinations respond to environmental pressures, governance challenges, and rising wellbeing expectations. This study introduces a low-carbon competitiveness index based on the embodied emissions of inbound tourism flows and integrates it with national happiness regimes, defined using long-run World Happiness Report scores, capturing destinations’ relative exposure to carbon costs, to explain cross-country differences in destination performance. Using balanced panel data for 78 countries from 1995–2023, the analysis applies dynamic PMG-ARDL modelling, FMOLS robustness checks, and structural break assessment to capture long- and short-run effects, including terrorism shocks. Results show that in high-happiness countries, inbound tourism is supported by demographic vitality but constrained by inflation, carbon intensity, and refugee inflows, reflecting visitor sensitivity to environmental quality and institutional capacity. In low-happiness countries, competitiveness relies more on foreign investment and resource-intensive growth, reinforcing ecological vulnerabilities. The study advances competitiveness theory by embedding wellbeing and low-carbon transitions into tourism analysis and offers differentiated policy strategies to support resilient, inclusive, and sustainable destination futures.