Tourism 2021 04EN 465-636.indd
Many scholars perceive price competitiveness as a highly relevant element of tourism competitiveness in improving tourism performance. We focused our research interest specifi cally to understand whether price competitiveness is an important policy instrument in attracting international tourists and their spending. Our empirical study focused on how price competitiveness behaves as a predictor of tourism performance in diff erent economic conditions and whether price competitiveness is a signifi cant cause of tourism competitiveness in improving tourism performance. For that purpose, we conducted empirical analysis within two stages: moderation analysis to understand how price competitiveness infl uences tourism performance from the point of view of inbound international tourism and how this relationship behaves in diff erent economic conditions; and mediation analysis to understand whether price competitiveness is relevant cause for tourist competitiveness in improving tourism performance. Th is study has revealed diff erent views about price competitiveness and its infl uence on the tourism industry. Th e fi ndings indicate that price competitiveness has rather limited eff ects on the outcomes of the tourism industry and is not a cause of overall tourism competitiveness in improving tourism performance.