To estimate correctly the effect of variable trade costs on firms’ exports, the gravity equation should control for the number of firms that participate in foreign markets. Due to the absence of these data, previous studies control for this omitted variable using econometric strategies that...

Using newly panel data on visa restrictions for the years 2000 and 2010 in a theory-grounded gravity model, we find a robust, causal negative impact of visa restrictions on international tourist flows. By destination, the detrimental impact of this type of barrier is observed for tourists going...