Gravity Models in Tourism Demand

In recent years, gravity models have emerged as a fundamental tool for analyzing tourism demand. Since their initial application to tourism studies in the mid-20th century, these models have evolved to incorporate a wider range of explanatory variables and employ more sophisticated econometric techniques. This chapter examines the theoretical foundations of the gravity model in the context of tourist flows, drawing from utility theory. It also explores empirical applications, evaluates estimation methodologies, synthesizes existing research, and identifies key challenges for future studies. The findings provide a robust framework for researchers seeking to model tourism demand using gravity-based approaches.