Measuring performance variability: A Meta-Heterogeneity Index approach in tourism research

Efficiency; Group heterogeneity; Meta-heterogeneity index; Performance modeling; Tourism; Development; Transportation; Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Management; Strategy and Management

Abstract :

[en] In this study, we present the Meta-Heterogeneity Index (MHI), which we designed to uncover within-group performance disparities across destinations, firms, or regions—disparities that more conventional approaches often overlook. Using panel data on star-rated hotels in China, we demonstrate the usefulness of the MHI, showing how it separates efficiency change from technical change and identifies whether shortfalls stem from operations or technology. This detailed diagnosis would equip destination managers and corporate decision-makers with clear priorities for reallocating resources or driving innovation. In addition, since the MHI can be readily transferred to other tourism subsectors, it is a practical tool that researchers can use to track competitiveness and to enrich performance analysis in the tourism management field.

Disciplines :

Quantitative methods in economics & management

Author, co-author :

Walheer, Barnabé ; Université de Liège - ULiège > HEC Liège : UER > UER Economie : Microéconométrie et économétrie appliquée

Peypoch, Nicolas; Institute of Business Administration, CRESEM, University of Perpignan, Perpignan, France

Zhang, Linjia ; International Business School Suzhou, Research Centre for Culture, Communication and Society, Xi’an Jiaotong- Liverpool University, Suzhou, China

Language :

English

Title :

Measuring performance variability: A Meta-Heterogeneity Index approach in tourism research

Publication date :

November 2025

Journal title :

Tourism Management

ISSN :

0261-5177

eISSN :

1879-3193

Publisher :

Elsevier Ltd

Volume :

113

Pages :

105329

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0261517725001992?httpAccept=text/xml

Funders :

F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique

Funding text :

This research is supported by the Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS), Belgium under Grant No. J.0193.23 and XJTLU Research Development Fund, China , No. RDF-22-02-107.

Available on ORBi :

since 12 January 2026

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