A Meta-Analysis of Linkages Between Climate Change and Tourism Development: Evidence from Turkey

Abstract

Turkey is one of the most demanding tourist destinations in the world because of its unique geographical location and possession of various natural, historical, and cultural assets. The famous hotspots of mass tourism activity are in the western and southwestern parts of the country. Rapid tourism growth has contributed to the country's economy significantly; however, it also brought many arduous challenges to the sustainability of the natural environment. Various scientific studies have explored the connections between tourism development and carbon emissions, employing different methodologies. The present study uses a meta-analytic technique to evaluate the bilateral linkages between tourism growth and climate change. For this purpose, a structured review of available empirical studies is conducted, and the results are combined to produce robust knowledge about the issue. The results revealed that tourism development significantly contributes to CO2 emissions leading to global warming and climate change. Besides, the changes in climate parameters are also a potential threat to coastal tourist destinations. The present study provides valuable insights for future policymaking regarding the country's tourism development and climate change.