Investigation of Nonlinear Effects of Health Tourism on Iran's Economic Growth: Self-regression approach with distributive intervals

Abstract

Background: Since oil is not a sustainable source of income for oil-rich countries, economic planners have focused on non-oil sources of income. In this regard, the tourism industry is one of the most lucrative industries in the world.Tourism includes services that have a great impact on economic and social activities. Health tourism is one of the most important areas of the tourism industry. So, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of health tourism shocks on economic growth in 2005-17 using the self-regression approach with distributive intervals.

Methods: In this applied analytical research, the required statistics and information in terms of logarithm were collected through documentary and library methods from 2005 to 2017.

Results: The experimental findings of the present study showed that the short term increase in the number of health tourists had a positive effect on the country's economic growth. The decreased number of health tourists also led to a decrease in the country's economic growth. The effective exchange rates and the number of medical services providers to tourists had negative and positive effects on the country's economic growth, respectively. In the long run, increased number of health tourists had a positive effect on economic growth, while a decrease in the number of health tourists had a negative effect on economic growth. The exchange rate and the number of health service providers to tourists had negative and positive effects on economic growth.

Conclusion: Both in the short- and long-term, entry of health tourists has a positive effect on the country's economic growth. So, authorities are recommended to invest in this area to provide better services to health tourists on the economic planners and policymakers' agenda.