Explanatory meta-analysis for the comparison and transfer of regional tourist income multipliers

This paper aims to demonstrate the potential of quantitative research synth esis, in particular meta-analysis, as a methodology for comparative researc h, with a particular view on tourist impact analysis. The attention is focu sed on regional tourist multipliers which measure the effects of tourist ex penditure on the economy of a given area. On the basis of a varied sample o f studies on tourist multipliers, differences among tourist income multipli ers are ex post examined. The preliminaries of this investigation are discu ssed in order to elucidate some important issues meta-analysis may be confr onted with. In addition, the results of the comparative analysis of previou s studies are transferred to the Greek island of Lesvos. This area was esti mated to have an average tourist income multiplier falling ill between 0.55 and 0.67.