Does internal migration affect Italian domestic tourism? A panel data analysis

This paper proposes a dynamic panel data investigation on the role of interregional migration on Italian domestic tourism demand, using three panel estimators characterized by different homogeneity assumptions imposed on the parameters. A standard cointegration analysis is performed before proceeding to panel regressions. The results provide ample support for a strong positive relationship between per capita domestic tourism nights and per capita internal migration stock. This evidence extends the migration-tourism nexus, already established at the international level, to the intranational scale, and reinforces the idea that host regions should not overlook the role of migration when designing their tourism policies.