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The impact of COVID-19 on tourists’ length of stay and daily expenditures

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Listed:
  • José F Baños-Pino
  • David Boto-García
  • Eduardo Del Valle
  • Inés Sustacha

Abstract

This study evaluates the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourists’ length of stay and daily expenditures at a destination. The paper compares detailed microdata for visitors to a Northern Spanish region in the summer periods of 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2020 (after the pandemic outbreak). We estimate the pandemic-induced impacts on the length of stay and expenditures per person for several categories using regression adjustment, inverse probability weighting regression and propensity score matching. We find clear evidence of a drop in the length of stay of around 1.26 nights, representing a 23.8% decline. We also show that, although total expenditures per person and day have remained constant, there has been a change in the allocations for categories in the tourism budget.

Suggested Citation

  • José F Baños-Pino & David Boto-García & Eduardo Del Valle & Inés Sustacha, 2023. "The impact of COVID-19 on tourists’ length of stay and daily expenditures," Tourism Economics, , vol. 29(2), pages 437-459, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:toueco:v:29:y:2023:i:2:p:437-459
    DOI: 10.1177/13548166211053419
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