The impact of exchange rate regimes on Middle East Countrie's international tourism flows: A Systematic Generalized Method of Moments Technique

The tourism industry, as one of the most profitable industries in the world, can play an important role in the economic growth of countries. . It includes services that have a great impact on economic and social activities. In this regard, despite the common belief of foreign exchange regimes as one of the most important factors that affect the flow of tourism, there has been little research on the effect of foreign exchange regimes on tourism flow. Recent developments in the categorization of exchange rate regimes have been stimulated to study the effects of foreign exchange regimes on international tourism flow. This study utilizes the Systematic Generalized Systemic Method of Moments Technique (GMM-SYS) and panel data for estimating the number of tourists entering Middle Eastern countries (16 countries) over the period of 1999 to 2013. The results show that the fixed exchange rate has a positive and significant effect on the tourism trend and maintaining the stability of the exchange rate is highly important to attract international tourists. Also, trade, distance, population, having a common language, the establishment of a trade union between the member states and the colony have a positive effect on the flow of tourism. And the effective exchange rate variable, hijab coverage and compulsory coverage have a negative effect on the flow of tourism.