Energy Consumption and Sustainable Development of the Tourism Industry: A Global Study on Regional Variations and Renewable Energy Integration

Authors

  • N. Nagabhooshanam

    Department of Research Analytics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai 602105, India
  • Aman Sharma

    Department of Mechanical Engineering,GLA University, Mathura 281406, India
  • KDV Prasad

    Department of Research, Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Bengaluru 560100, Karnataka, India
  • Kommula Bapayya Naidu

    Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Aditya University, Surampalem 533437, Andhra Pradesh, India
  • BEVL Naidu

    Department of Management Studies, Aditya Degree & PG College, Kakinada 533003, Andhra Pradesh, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v7i6.9010
Received: 8 March 2025 | Revised: 27 March 2025 | Accepted: 15 April 2025 | Published Online: 13 June 2025

Abstract

The Tourism Industry plays a critical role in economic growth on the international scene but is equally responsible for contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and energy demand. The research analyzed the global trends of energy consumption (EC)within this industry concerning environmental performance, limits, and prospects of sustained expansion. It includes 300 tourism-related businesses across different global economic regions. Key tourism factors include EC, greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy (RE) use, tourism's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution, and energy efficiency. Statistical methods such as regression and panel data analysis assess the impact of tourism GDP, carbon emissions and RE.The regression analysis, including linear regression and panel data regression, to assess the influence of factors such as tourism GDP, carbon emissions, RE share, and energy efficiency improvements, providing a data-driven approach to understanding EC in tourism. The findings reveal regional differences, with developed regions consuming more energy per capita, while developing markets show progress in energy-efficient practices.The findings of the linear regression analysis show tourism GDP contribution (β = 4,200).The outcomes of the panel data regression analysis show the t-statistic values of carbon emissions. The Difference-in-Differences analysis indicates that tourist GDP is greater in developed regions  compared to developing regions . Carbon emissions  are greater, although RE and energy efficiency  increase more in developing nations. The research emphasizes expanding use of RE in tourism infrastructure, especially in ecotourism and green hotels.

Keywords:

Tourism Energy Consumption (EC); Sustainable Development (SD); Carbon Emissions; Renewable Energy (RE); Energy Efficiency

References

[1] Khanal, A., Rahman, M.M., Khanam, R., et al., 2021. Are tourism and energy consumption linked? Evidence from Australia.Sustainability. 13(19), 10800. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910800

[2] Khan, N., Hassan, A.U., Fahad, S., et al., 2020. Factors affecting tourism industry and its impacts on global economy of the world. SSRN Electronic Journal. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3559353

[3] Gokmenoglu, K.K., Eren, B.M., 2020. The role of international tourism on energy consumption: empirical evidence from Turkey.Current Issues in Tourism. 23(9), 1059–1065. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2019.1574723

[4] Khan, I., Hou, F., 2021. The dynamic links among energy consumption, tourism growth, and the ecological footprint: the role of environmental quality in 38 IEA countries.Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 28(5), 5049–5062. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10861-6

[5] He, X., Shi, J., Xu, H., et al., 2022. Tourism development, carbon emission intensity and urban green economic efficiency from the perspective of spatial effects.Energies. 15(20), 7729. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en15207729

[6] Irfan, M., Ullah, S., Razzaq, A., et al., 2023. Unleashing the dynamic impact of tourism industry on energy consumption, economic output, and environmental quality in China: A way forward towards environmental sustainability.Journal of Cleaner Production. 387, 135778. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.135778

[7] Yang, S., Hao, Q., Wang, Y., et al., 2022. Impact of the participation of the tourism sector on carbon emission reduction in the tourism industry.Sustainability. 14(23), 15570. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315570

[8] Meo, M., Nathaniel, S., Shaikh, G., et al., 2021. Energy consumption, institutional quality and tourist arrival in Pakistan: Is the nexus (a) symmetric amidst structural breaks? Journal of Public Affairs. 21(2), e2213. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.2213

[9] Saarinen, J., 2020. Tourism and sustainable development goals: Research on sustainable tourism geographies. In: Saarinen, J. (ed.). Tourism and sustainable development goals. Routledge: London, UK. pp. 1–10.

[10] Richardson, R.B., 2021. The role of tourism in sustainable development. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Environmental Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199389414.013.387

[11] Yang, Y., Wani, G.A., Nagaraj, V., et al., 2023. Progress in sustainable tourism research: An analysis of the comprehensive literature and future research directions.Sustainability. 15(3), 2755. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032755

[12] Santos-Roldán, L., Castillo Canalejo, A.M., Berbel-Pineda, J.M., et al., 2020. Sustainable tourism as a source of healthy tourism.International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17(15), 5353. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17155353

[13] Dogru, T., Bulut, U., Kocak, E., et al., 2020. The nexus between tourism, economic growth, renewable energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emissions: contemporary evidence from OECD countries.Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 27, 40930–40948. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10110-w

[14] Banga, C., Deka, A., Kilic, H., et al., 2022. The role of clean energy in the development of sustainable tourism: does renewable energy use help mitigate environmental pollution? A panel data analysis.Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 29(39), 59363–59373. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-19991-5

[15] Shang, Y., Lian, Y., Chen, H., et al., 2023. The impacts of energy resource and tourism on green growth: evidence from Asian economies.Resources Policy. 81, 103359. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.103359

[16] Go, H., Kang, M., 2023. Metaverse tourism for sustainable tourism development: Tourism agenda 2030.Tourism Review. 78(2), 381–394. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-02-2022-0102

[17] Balsalobre-Lorente, D., Abbas, J., He, C., et al., 2023. Tourism, urbanization and natural resources rents matter for environmental sustainability: The leading role of AI and ICT on sustainable development goals in the digital era.Resources Policy. 82, 103445. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.103445

[18] Raihan, A., Tuspekova, A., 2022. Dynamic impacts of economic growth, renewable energy use, urbanization, industrialization, tourism, agriculture, and forests on carbon emissions in Turkey.Carbon Research. 1(1), 20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s44246-022-00019-z

[19] Raihan, A., 2023. The dynamic nexus between economic growth, renewable energy use, urbanization, industrialization, tourism, agricultural productivity, forest area, and carbon dioxide emissions in the Philippines.Energy Nexus. 9, 100180. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nexus.2023.100180

[20] Raihan, A., Muhtasim, D.A., Pavel, M.I., et al., 2022. Dynamic impacts of economic growth, renewable energy use, urbanization, and tourism on carbon dioxide emissions in Argentina.Environmental Processes. 9(2), 38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40710-022-00590-y

[21] Raihan, A., Ibrahim, S., Muhtasim, D.A., 2023. Dynamic impacts of economic growth, energy use, tourism, and agricultural productivity on carbon dioxide emissions in Egypt.World Development Sustainability. 2, 100059. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wds.2023.100059

[22] Liu, Y., Sadiq, F., Ali, W., et al., 2022. Does tourism development, energy consumption, trade openness and economic growth matters for ecological footprint: Testing the Environmental Kuznets Curve and pollution haven hypothesis for Pakistan.Energy. 245, 123208. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2022.123208

[23] Zhu, L., Wang, B., Sun, Y., 2020. Multi-objective optimization for energy consumption, daylighting and thermal comfort performance of rural tourism buildings in north China.Building and Environment. 176, 106841. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106841

[24] Shi, H., Li, X., Zhang, H., et al., 2020. Global difference in the relationships between tourism, economic growth, CO2 emissions, and primary energy consumption.Current Issues in Tourism. 23(9), 1122–1137. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2019.1588864

[25] Shan, Y., Ren, Z., 2023. Does tourism development and renewable energy consumption drive high quality economic development? Resources Policy. 80, 103270. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2022.103270

[26] Khan, A., Chenggang, Y., Hussain, J., et al., 2020. Natural resources, tourism development, and energy-growth-CO2 emission nexus: a simultaneity modeling analysis of BRI countries.Resources Policy. 68, 101751. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2020.101751

[27] Liu, Z., Lan, J., Chien, F., et al., 2022. Role of tourism development in environmental degradation: A step towards emission reduction.Journal of Environmental Management. 303, 114078. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114078

[28] Tian, X.L., Bélaïd, F., Ahmad, N., 2021. Exploring the nexus between tourism development and environmental quality: Role of Renewable energy consumption and Income.Structural Change and Economic Dynamics. 56, 53–63. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.strueco.2020.10.003

[29] Ohajionu, U.C., Gyamfi, B.A., Haseki, M.I., et al., 2022. Assessing the linkage between energy consumption, financial development, tourism and environment: evidence from method of moments quantile regression.Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 1–15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-17920-6

[30] Raihan, A., 2024. Environmental impacts of the economy, tourism, and energy consumption in Kuwait.Kuwait Journal of Science. 51(4), 100264. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kjs.2024.100264

[31] Tien, N.H., Viet, P.Q., Duc, N.M., et al., 2021. Sustainability of tourism development in Vietnam's coastal provinces.World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development. 17(5), 579–598.

[32] Rauf, A., Ozturk, I., Ahmad, F., et al., 2021. Do tourism development, energy consumption and transportation demolish sustainable environments? Evidence from Chinese provinces.Sustainability. 13(22), 12361. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212361

[33] Sørensen, F., Grindsted, T.S., 2021. Sustainability approaches and nature tourism development.Annals of Tourism Research. 91, 103307. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2021.103307

[34] Baloch, Q.B., Shah, S.N., Iqbal, N., et al., 2023. Impact of tourism development upon environmental sustainability: a suggested framework for sustainable ecotourism.Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 30(3), 5917–5930. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-22496-w

[35] Pablo-Romero, M.P., Sánchez-Braza, A., García-Soto, M.A., 2023. The impact of tourism on energy consumption: a sectoral analysis for the most visited countries in the world. Economies. 11(10), 263. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/economies11100263

[36] Shah, S.A.R., Balsalobre-Lorente, D., Radulescu, M., et al., 2025. Revising the tourism-induced environment Kuznets curve hypothesis in top 8 Asian economies: the role of ICT and renewable energy consumption. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology. 16(1), 1–32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-02-2022-0064

[37] Qamruzzaman, M., 2025. Unlocking the nexus: Tourism, clean energy, innovation, and environmental sustainability in the top 20 tourist nations. Sustainability Analytics and Modeling. 5, 100037. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.samod.2024.100037

[38] Mason, P., Augustyn, M., Seakhoa-King, A., 2023. Tourism destination quality and the UN Sustainable Development Goals: tourism Agenda 2030.Tourism Review. 78(2), 443–460. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-05-2022-0259

Downloads

How to Cite

N. Nagabhooshanam, Aman Sharma, KDV Prasad, Kommula Bapayya Naidu, & BEVL Naidu. (2025). Energy Consumption and Sustainable Development of the Tourism Industry: A Global Study on Regional Variations and Renewable Energy Integration. Journal of Environmental & Earth Sciences, 7(6), 451–466. https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v7i6.9010

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 6 (June 2025)

Article Type

Article

License

Copyright © 2025 N. Nagabhooshanam, Aman Sharma, KDV Prasad, Kommula Bapayya Naidu, BEVL Naidu

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC