Identifying Effective Factors on Foreign Tourism Demand

Tourism Industry has important role in the job creating and economic development. Because of it, identifying effective factors on foreign tourism demand and attractiveness of tourism destinations is important. We used panel data of incoming tourist and characteristics of tourism destinations in 147 countries between years 2007 to 2015 to examine which factors have significant effect on foreign tourism demand. We used three aggregate indices to identify characteristics of tourism destinations that are regulatory framework, business environment and infrastructure, and human, cultural and natural resources.  Our results show that business environment, tourism infrastructures such as air and ground transportation infrastructure and price competitiveness have significant effects on foreign tourism demand. We have also used thirteen more detailed indices of tourism destination characteristics and show that safety and security (such as the costliness of common crime and violence as well as terrorism, and the extent to which police services can be relied upon for protection from crime) ,  natural and cultural resources (such as cultural heritage and nationally protected areas)  and price competitiveness indices have a significant effect on foreign tourism demand.