A GLOBAL ANALYSIS OF THE INFLUENCE OF GOVERNANCE ON IMPROVING TOURISM COMPETITIVENESS

Objective: The objective of the study was to identify the influence of governance on tourism competitiveness as measured by tourism GDP per capita, using structural equation modeling. Methodology: The study was descriptive correlational and applied quantitative documentary approach. Data from secondary sources from the World Bank and The World Travel & Tourism were used to obtain measures of governance and tourism GDP for 172 countries during the year 2021. Results: Governance was found to have a significant influence on tourism competitiveness, with government effectiveness, regulatory quality and rule of law emerging as the main predictors of governance. It was also found that most countries with high tourism performance have good governance, especially those countries that are small and specialized in tourism. Developed countries enjoy a high governance index, but do not lead the ranking in tourism GDP per capita. Countries with low tourism performance have poor governance. Conclusions: Governance is a crucial factor in the success or failure of the tourism sector, and the positive and significant relationship between governance and tourism competitiveness has important implications for the formulation of policies and strategies to promote sustainable tourism development.