Coping with Externalities in Tourism - A Dynamic Optimal Taxation Approach

30 Pages Posted: 9 Jun 2009 Last revised: 10 Aug 2009

Date Written: July 27, 2009

Abstract

The paper studies optimal taxation (subvention) when tourism is associated with „multiple externalities“, using a simple dynamic model of a small open economy, which is completely specialized in the production of tourism services and populated by a large number of intertemporally optimizing agents. Depending on the volume of tourism production, the externality can be either positive or negative. We show that the first best optimum, achieved by a central planner, recognizing the externality, can be replicated in a decentralized economy by using a time-varying tax rate. This ensures that (i) the steady state of the first best optimum is reached and that (ii) the speed of convergence to steady state is socially optimal.

Keywords: tourism demand, externalities, dynamic optimal taxation

JEL Classification: F41, H21, H23, R13

Suggested Citation

Schubert, Stefan Franz, Coping with Externalities in Tourism - A Dynamic Optimal Taxation Approach (July 27, 2009). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1416103 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1416103

Stefan Franz Schubert (Contact Author)

Free University of Bozen-Bolzano ( email )

Via Sernesi 1
39100 Bozen-Bolzano (BZ)
Italy
+390471013495 (Phone)

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
385
Abstract Views
2,107
Rank
155,310
PlumX Metrics