The Impact of H7N9 Avian Influenza on the Tourism Industry in China

Abstract

Health Economists have long concerned about the economic consequence of epidemics. We applied the Vector Auto-Regression model together with the Granger causality tests and impulse-response analyses to provide precautionary information in terms of the propagation mechanism of an unexpected outbreak of the H7N9 Avian Influenza across a period of time to investigate the effect of the H7N9 Avian Influenza on the tourism industry in China. Our results suggested that the economic consequence of the H7N9 Avian influenza in Chinese tourism industry may be minor in terms of a short impacting period after an unexpected H7N9 Avian Influenza outbreak.