Does the Demographic Structure Affect Outbound Tourism Demand? A Panel Smooth Transition Regression Approach

摘要

This study aims to examine the relationship between the demographic structure and outbound tourism demand using panel data from 72 countries and regions during the 2000-2014 period. A panel smooth transition regression (PSTR) model is employed to prove that there is a nonlinear relationship between demographic factors and outbound tourism demand and that the demographic effects can vary under different income regimes. The empirical results indicate that the impacts of demographic factors on outbound tourism demand change significantly when income constraints are relaxed. Based on this premise, we can better understand the travel characteristics of different groups, which are subdivided according to different demographic factors.