Empirical assessment of the tourism-led growth hypothesis - the case of Vietnam.

This study examines the tourism-led growth hypothesis (TLGH) in Vietnam during the period 1992-2011. The authors use two-step procedures to test the hypothesis. They first apply cointegration and the Granger causality test to identify the relationships between tourism earning and gross domestic product (GDP). Second, they use growth decomposition methodology to measure the contribution of tourism to economic growth. The results indicate that it is worthwhile for the government to implement economic policies to stimulate economic growth through the tourism sector in Vietnam.