Effects of China's pilot low-carbon city policy on carbon emission reduction in the hotel industry: A quasi-natural experiment in tourism cities

A low-carbon pilot city bases its economy on energy efficiency, demonstrating an environmentally friendly development model and establishing a sustainable energy ecosystem. Establishing low-carbon pilot cities exerts both actual and exemplary effects in decreasing its CO2 emissions. However, research in the field of low-carbon measures has frequently bypassed their particular effects on sectors with high emissions, such as the hospitality industry. This study seeks to fill this void by assessing the influence of low-carbon city pilot policies (LCCP) on the hotel sector's carbon footprint. The analysis uses a PSM-DID model to review emission data across 49 prominent tourist cities in China over the period 2010–2020. It contrasts emission patterns between pilot and non-pilot cities. Findings reveal that LCCP markedly cuts CO2 output in hotels. This cutback stems from sectoral change, the growth of higher-rated hotels, and enhanced hotel occupancy rate. The policy's effects are especially strong in affluent regions and international tourist cities. These results point to LCCP's crucial contribution to sustainable hotel practices. The study emphasizes the necessity for precise environmental regulations in energy-intensive industries to meet wider sustainability objectives.