Advancing SDGs 2 and 8 Through Tourism: Evidence on Tourism Market Participation, Dietary Diversity, and Government Support in Ghana via Institutional Theory

ABSTRACT Tourism market participation (TMP) is increasingly promoted as a pathway for sustainable rural development, yet evidence on its nutritional benefits and the institutional conditions shaping these outcomes remains limited. This study investigates the association between TMP and household nutritional intake among rural households in Ghana and tests whether government support moderates this link, drawing on institutional theory. Using household survey data and econometric models that address potential endogeneity, the results show that TMP is positively and significantly associated with nutritional intake, indicating that engagement in tourism‐related market activities is linked to improved diet quality. Government support exhibits differentiated effects. Technical and financial support are positively associated with dietary diversity and significantly strengthen the TMP to nutrition relationship. In contrast, regulatory support is negatively associated with dietary diversity and significantly weakens the TMP to nutrition relationship. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the positive nutrition effects of TMP are present across income, gender, and age groups, but are stronger among high‐income households, females, and adults, underscoring distributional concerns and the need for inclusive policy design. Overall, the findings demonstrate that institutional arrangements can either enable or constrain welfare gains from market participation. The study advances the sustainable development agenda by linking tourism participation to food and nutrition security, with implications for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). The results suggest that tourism‐based nutrition strategies are more effective when paired with targeted technical and financial assistance and streamlined, context‐appropriate regulation.