TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN UZBEKISTAN: THE IMPACT OF INTERNATIONAL TOURIST ARRIVALS ON CO₂ EMISSIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60078/3060-4842-2026-vol3-iss3-pp361-371Abstract
This study examines the long-run and short-run relationships among international tourism, economic growth, and CO₂ emissions in Uzbekistan over the period 1991–2025. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model is employed to assess the impact of international tourist arrivals on environmental quality and economic development. The findings indicate that the tourism sector plays a significant role in promoting economic growth. However, an increase in international tourist arrivals contributes to higher CO₂ emissions in the long run, confirming the existence of environmental consequences associated with tourism activities. The results of the Bounds Test reveal the presence of a long-run equilibrium relationship among the variables under investigation. The study provides important scientific and policy implications for promoting environmentally sustainable tourism development, reducing carbon emissions, and formulating green tourism policies in Uzbekistan. The findings highlight the necessity of balancing economic growth with environmental protection to ensure the long-term sustainability of the tourism sector
Keywords:
international tourism CO₂ emissions environmental sustainability economic growth ARDL model UzbekistanReferences
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