Articles

Use of Sustainable Energies in European Hotels: The DETOCS Project

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Hotel buildings consume large amounts of energy compared to other commercial buildings. However, in the coming years they should try to minimize the use of conventional fuels increasing the use of sustainable energies in order to zero their net-carbon emissions. During the implementation of DETOCS project a survey in several EU regions has been conducted, investigating the use of several sustainable energy technologies in nineteen tourism entities. The results indicated that many sustainable, low- and zero-carbon emission energy technologies have been used in hotels and other tourism entities in European regions. They included, energy saving technologies, renewable energy technologies and low-carbon energy technologies which are mature, reliable and cost-efficient. Among renewable energies solar energy, biomass and geothermal energy are the most popular in tourism entities. The use of these sustainable energy technologies can be transferred in hotels located not only in the regions participating in DETOCS project but also in other EU regions. During the survey tourism entities that were using carbon offsetting schemes to reduce their carbon emissions were not identified. The findings indicate that several, technically feasible and economically attractive, sustainable energy technologies can be used in European tourism industry assisting its decarbonization in accordance with the target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The results could be useful to all stakeholders of the tourism industry in all European regions.

Migration, Education, and Labor Market Integration: Evidence from a Panel Data Analysis of Institutional Heterogeneity in Europe

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Purpose: This study examines the relationship between migration intensity, education-related integration mechanisms, and labor market outcomes of the foreign-born population in selected European countries over the period 2010–2024. It explores how migration flows and migrant education interact within different institutional contexts.

Methodology: The analysis focuses on Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Sweden,  and the United Kingdom and employs panel data techniques using two-way fixed and random effects models. Model selection is guided by the Hausman specification test, which strongly favors the fixed effects estimator, highlighting the role of country-specific institutional heterogeneity.

Findings: The results indicate that migration intensity alone is not significantly associated with improved migrant employment outcomes once unobserved heterogeneity is controlled for. In contrast, migrant tertiary education shows a positive relationship with employment performance. Public education expenditure, measured as a share of GDP, does not exhibit a robust direct effect, suggesting that aggregate spending levels are insufficient to drive integration outcomes.

Originality:  By providing recent longitudinal cross-country evidence, the study contributes to the applied econometrics literature on migration and labor markets. It highlights the importance of institutional context and educational attainment in shaping migrant labor market integration across Europe.