FROM CLASSROOMS TO DESTINATIONS: RETHINKING ENERGY USE IN TOURISM THROUGH EDUCATION
Keywords:
education, energy, tourism, development, paradigm
Abstract
This study investigates the education–tourism–energy nexus in a European context over the period 2016–2024, aiming to assess how tourism dynamics, human capital, and energy efficiency interact within a sustainability framework. Using harmonized Eurostat data, the analysis adopts a comparative and descriptive approach to identify temporal trends. The results reveal that tourism is a cyclically sensitive sector, characterized by pre-pandemic stability, a sharp contraction during 2020–2021, and an asymmetric post-pandemic recovery. International tourism demand exhibits high elasticity and non-linear rebound effects, reflecting strong responsiveness to external shocks. In contrast, energy efficiency shows lower volatility, with temporary deterioration during the pandemic followed by gradual improvement, although convergence across countries remains incomplete.
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References
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2. Bano, S., Alam, M., Khan, A., & Liu, L. (2021). The nexus of tourism, renewable energy, income, and environmental quality: an empirical analysis of Pakistan. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 23(10), 14854–14877. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-021-01275-6
3. Bi, C., & Zeng, J. (2019). Nonlinear and spatial effects of tourism on carbon emissions in China: a spatial econometric approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(18), 3353. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16183353
4. Chahal, J., Dagar, V., & Shoukat, M. H. (2025). Sustainable entrepreneurship: examining stimulus-organism-response to the nexus of environment, education and motivation. Management Decision, 63(5), 1391–1416. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-04-2024-0845
5. Edelheim, J. R. (2017). Teaching–research nexus in tourism, hospitality and event studies. In Handbook of teaching and learning in tourism (pp. 467–483). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781784714802.00044
6. Eluwole, K. K., Bekun, F. V., & Lasisi, T. T. (2022). Fresh insights into tourism-led economic growth nexus: a systematic literature network analysis approach. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 27(4), 374–410. https://doi.org/10.1080/10941665.2022.2075775
7. Gao, L., Ali, Q., Yaseen, M. R., Makhdum, M. S. A., Sarkodie, S. A., Nisa, M., & Khan, M. T. I. (2024). Global nexus between tourism and sustainable futures: the role of economic growth, globalization and renewables. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 1–36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-05124-0
8. Holden, A. (2009). The environment-tourism nexus: Influence of market ethics. Annals of Tourism Research, 36(3), 373–389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2008.10.009
9. Katircioglu, S., Katircioĝlu, S., & Saqib, N. (2020). Does higher education system moderate energy consumption and climate change nexus? Evidence from a small island. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, 13(2), 153–160. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-019-00778-6
10. McGladdery, C. A., & Lubbe, B. A. (2017). Rethinking educational tourism: proposing a new model and future directions. Tourism Review, 72(3), 319–329. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-03-2017-0055
11. Nawaz, M. Z., Guo, J., Nawaz, S., & Hussain, S. (2023). Sustainable development goals perspective: nexus between Christians’ religious tourism, geopolitical risk, and CO2 pollution in Italy. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(22), 62341–62354. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26463-x
12. Osuntuyi, B. V., & Lean, H. H. (2023). Moderating impacts of education levels in the energy–growth–environment nexus. Sustainability, 15(3), 2659. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032659
13. Qadri, F. S. (2026). Nexus between tourism, renewable energy, and unemployment in South Africa. Insight from KRLS analysis. Economic Change and Restructuring, 59(1), 15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10644-025-09958-0
14. Raihan, A., & Tuspekova, A. (2022). Dynamic impacts of economic growth, energy use, urbanization, tourism, agricultural value-added, and forested area on carbon dioxide emissions in Brazil. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 12(4), 794–814. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-022-00782-w
15. Raihan, A., Muhtasim, D. A., Farhana, S., Hasan, M. A. U., Paul, A., & Faruk, O. (2022). Toward environmental sustainability: Nexus between tourism, economic growth, energy use and carbon emissions in Singapore. Global Sustainability Research, 1(2), 53–65. https://doi.org/10.56556/gssr.v1i2.408
16. Zheng, C., Wu, S., Teng, Y. P., Wu, S., & Wang, Z. (2023). Natural resources, tourism resources and economic growth: A new direction to natural resources perspective and investment. Resources Policy, 86, 104134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.104134
Published
2026-10-16
How to Cite
Laurentiu Prahoveanu, S., Ionescu, M., & Andrei, J. (2026). FROM CLASSROOMS TO DESTINATIONS: RETHINKING ENERGY USE IN TOURISM THROUGH EDUCATION. Tourism International Scientific Conference Vrnjačka Banja - TISC, 9(1), 345-354. https://doi.org/10.52370/TISC26345SL
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Articles
