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Business Performance and Sustainability in Cultural and Rural Tourism Destinations

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  • Laura Parte

    (Department of Business and Accounting, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, National Distance Education University (UNED), Paseo Senda del Rey, 11, 28040 Madrid, Spain)

  • Pilar Alberca

    (Department of Business and Accounting, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, National Distance Education University (UNED), Paseo Senda del Rey, 11, 28040 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

This study analyzes business performance through efficiency score estimation in two sustainable tourism models: cultural tourism and rural tourism. The study uses microeconomic data (microdata) of Spanish firms with different characteristics in terms of size, region, location and financial variables. Using multistage modeling (Data envelopment analysis, DEA, non-parametric frontier and non-parametric tests), the main results show that the average efficiency is higher for rural tourism destinations than for cultural tourism destinations. Similar to other tourism industries, efficiency results by geographical and regional destination confirm that location is a driver of the efficiency levels in rural and cultural tourism destinations. Furthermore, the results do not support the scale economies hypothesis: the average efficiency is higher for very small firms compared to other firm sizes, although the average efficiency for large firms is higher than that for medium-size firms. Regarding dynamic efficiency, the results reveal slight variations among the years examined, but the differences are not statistically significant. Finally, the study sheds light on the link between the efficiency of rural tourism and sustainable practices as the investment in environmental protection developed by regions during the period.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Parte & Pilar Alberca, 2021. "Business Performance and Sustainability in Cultural and Rural Tourism Destinations," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-23, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jmathe:v:9:y:2021:i:8:p:892-:d:537932
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ksenija Leković & Slavica Tomić & Dražen Marić & Nikola V. Ćurčić, 2020. "Cognitive Component of the Image of a Rural Tourism Destination as a Sustainable Development Potential," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-12, November.
    2. Alexander Trukhachev, 2015. "Methodology for Evaluating the Rural Tourism Potentials: A Tool to Ensure Sustainable Development of Rural Settlements," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-19, March.
    3. Guaita Martínez, José Manuel & Martín Martín, José María & Salinas Fernández, Jose Antonio & Mogorrón-Guerrero, Helena, 2019. "An analysis of the stability of rural tourism as a desired condition for sustainable tourism," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 165-174.
    4. Calogero Guccio & Domenico Lisi & Marco Martorana & Anna Mignosa, 2017. "On the role of cultural participation in tourism destination performance: an assessment using robust conditional efficiency approach," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 41(2), pages 129-154, May.
    5. Leonidou, Leonidas C. & Leonidou, Constantinos N. & Fotiadis, Thomas A. & Aykol, Bilge, 2015. "Dynamic capabilities driving an eco-based advantage and performance in global hotel chains: The moderating effect of international strategy," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 268-280.
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    3. Lei-Yi Peng & Hong Xu & Jia Lu & Jian-Ji Luo & Hui-Hua Zhan, 2022. "An Integrated Approach with CLFPR-Based ANP and Fuzzy TOPSIS for Evaluating Business Performance of Rural Homestays: Study from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-24, December.

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