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The impact of air policy on incoming tourist traffic: the contrasting cases of the Caribbean Community and the Middle-East

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  • Warnock-Smith, David
  • O’Connell, John F.

Abstract

It is generally agreed that government ownership and participation in national carriers and regulated air service agreements can lead to inefficiencies and abuses of market power. This can result in poor carrier performance and service levels, impeding further growth in tourism markets. This paper contrasts this theory with recent case evidence from the Caribbean and the Middle-East. The former represents the mature exotic type beach holiday while the latter is a fast developing religious, cultural and multi-product form of tourism. In both cases multi-step relationships exist between the development of air transport policy and the number of incoming visitors. The strength and significance of these interrelationships are tested using two separate best-fit Structural Equation Models (SEMs) based on a panel data set of a selection of endogenous and exogenous variables for the period 2000–2007. It is found that, despite both regions’ continued government participation in national carriers, only in the Caribbean has this appeared to have resulted in the expected dampening effect on tourism output, whereas a reverse effect was found for the sample of Middle-Eastern states. Focussing on their formidable hub-and-spoke networks, state owned and vertically integrated Middle-Eastern carriers are still encouraged to offer competitive fare and service levels to capture 6th freedom traffic with the growing number of long-stay visitors being one of the main beneficiaries of this.

Suggested Citation

  • Warnock-Smith, David & O’Connell, John F., 2011. "The impact of air policy on incoming tourist traffic: the contrasting cases of the Caribbean Community and the Middle-East," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 265-274.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:19:y:2011:i:2:p:265-274
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2010.04.004
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    3. Dobruszkes, Frédéric & Van Hamme, Gilles, 2011. "The impact of the current economic crisis on the geography of air traffic volumes: an empirical analysis," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 1387-1398.
    4. Koo, Tay T.R. & Lim, Christine & Dobruszkes, Frédéric, 2017. "Causality in direct air services and tourism demand," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 67-77.
    5. Zhang, Yahua & Findlay, Christopher, 2014. "Air transport policy and its impacts on passenger traffic and tourist flows," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 42-48.
    6. Tchouamou Njoya, Eric, 2013. "Air Transport and Destination Performance – A case study of three African countries (Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa)," MPRA Paper 48017, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Law, Colin C.H. & Zhang, Yahua & Gow, Jeff & Vu, Xuan-Binh, 2022. "Dynamic relationship between air transport, economic growth and inbound tourism in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    8. Zhang, Yahua, 2015. "International arrivals to Australia: Determinants and the role of air transport policy," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 44, pages 21-24.
    9. Tay T. R. Koo & David Tan & David Timothy Duval, 2018. "The Effect of Levels of Air Service Availability on Inbound tourism demand from Asia to Australia," Advances in Airline Economics, in: Airline Economics in Asia, volume 7, pages 145-167, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    10. Liu, Shaoxuan & Oum, Tae Hoon, 2018. "Prospects for air policy liberalization in China as a Result of China-ASEAN Open Skies: Changing role of Chinese mega carriers in global scene and anticipated Low Cost Carrier competition," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 1-9.
    11. Tsui, Kan Wai Hong & Tan, David & Chow, Clement Kong Wing & Shi, Song, 2019. "Regional airline capacity, tourism demand and housing prices: A case study of New Zealand," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 8-22.
    12. Hatice Ozer Balli & Faruk Balli & Wai Hong Kan Tsui, 2019. "International tourism demand, number of airline seats and trade triangle: Evidence from New Zealand partners," Tourism Economics, , vol. 25(1), pages 132-144, February.

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