Tourism Arrivals and Environmental Intensity: Evidence from Symmetric and Asymmetric Panel ARDL Models

Achieving sustainable development requires decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation. In this context, this study examines the effects of tourism arrivals on CO2 intensity and energy intensity, two key indicators of environmental sustainability aligned with SDGs 7 and 13. Panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and nonlinear ARDL models are employed using a balanced panel of 54 countries over the period 1996–2023. In addition, Wald tests for long-run asymmetry, dynamic multiplier analysis, and Dumitrescu–Hurlin causality tests are applied. The results confirm the existence of stable long-run relationships between tourism arrivals and both CO2 intensity and energy intensity. In the symmetric framework, tourism growth is associated with significant long-run reductions in CO2 and energy intensity, while short-run effects are negative and significant only for CO2 intensity. In the asymmetric framework, positive tourism shocks generate stronger and more persistent reductions in both intensity measures, whereas negative shocks lead to weaker environmental efficiency gains. Moreover, the Wald test shows the existence of long-run asymmetry between positive and negative tourism shocks. In addition, the dynamic multiplier analysis confirms that environmental intensity adjusts gradually over time following tourism shocks. Finally, Dumitrescu–Hurlin causality tests indicate bidirectional Granger causality relationships between tourism arrivals and environmental intensity indicators. The findings are robust to dynamic endogeneity, the COVID-19 shock, and country heterogeneity. Overall, the findings indicate that tourism arrivals contribute to lowering long-term environmental intensity, consistent with relative decoupling and the goals of sustainable tourism development.