Tourist distribution in Northern Mediterranean Basin countries: 2004–2020

PURPOSE: The feasibility of measuring the touristic ecosystem in European countries with a Mediterranean coast based on various parameters, including diversity, turnover, and the number of tourists, was investigated in this study. The data from the period between 2004 and 2020 were analyzed. METHODOLOGY: A distribution analysis of annual tourist gains was conducted, and the distribution of incoming tourists across the countries was examined based on their area, using Atkinson, Theil, and Hoover inequality indices. Secondary data from the World Bank were utilized by the authors for the 13 countries studied. It was suggested by the authors that the Mediterranean region could be analyzed based on factors such as the length of the coast, the number and type of hotel beds, and the volume of coastal tourism. This study can be expressed as a mixed methodology supported by bibliometric analysis. FINDINGS: An overall improvement in the distribution of tourists was indicated by the results of the analysis, with the exception of a decline in 2016 and 2020, as confirmed by all three indices. The most significant decline in 2020 was shown by the Hoover Index. ORIGINALITY: This study is a significant contribution to the existing literature, as it is the first to analyze the distribution of tourists considering the Mediterranean Basin coast length and the number of tourists of the illustrated countries, using the Atkinson, Theil, and Hoover inequality indices. The study was deemed original and supported by bibliometric analysis. The results of this study have important managerial implications.