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Tourism towards Sustainability and Innovation: A Systematic Literature Review

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  • Vasco Santos

    (Departamento de Economia, Gestão, Engenharia Industrial e Turismo (DEGEIT), Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
    CiTUR—Centre for Tourism Research, Development and Innovation, Polytechnic of Leiria, 2520-641 Peniche, Portugal
    ISLA—Instituto Superior de Gestão e Administração, 2000-241 Santarém, Portugal)

  • Maria José Sousa

    (Departamento de Ciência Política e Políticas Públicas (ESPP), Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, 1649-026 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Carlos Costa

    (Departamento de Economia, Gestão, Engenharia Industrial e Turismo (DEGEIT), Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
    Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP), Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal)

  • Manuel Au-Yong-Oliveira

    (Departamento de Economia, Gestão, Engenharia Industrial e Turismo (DEGEIT), Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
    Research Unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policies (GOVCOPP), Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
    INESC TEC—Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal)

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze the progress of tourism towards sustainability and innovation through a systematic literature review summarizing the last five years of research strictly focused on innovation and sustainability applied to tourism. This research comprises a range of theories, practices, methods, and results pursuing innovation and sustainability across different levels, stages, and drivers, and in many tourism contexts. Wide, in-depth, and structured analysis, evaluation, and examination (using the PRISMA and VOSviewer tools) of a final sample of 50 scholarly papers from 27 journals, published between 2017 and the first quarter of 2021, were undertaken. Current publications emphasize qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methods, as well as statistical and econometric methods, such as descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. This study categorizes the four major topics identified, sustainability, innovation, sustainable development, and sustainable tourism, which comprised the contextual dimensions and relevant stages of the subject areas examined. This systematic literature review highlights advances and the significantly increasing overall number of papers over recent years. Currently, sustainability is in a more advanced state compared to innovation. The outcomes highlight that the indicators of sustainability and innovation still need further analysis within the tourism context. However, more concrete process indicators are needed for continuous improvement of the front-end of innovation and sustainable tourism. The results help in better understanding the sustainability and innovation process as applied to tourism. In particular, this study explores further direct linkages between sustainability and innovation and tourism, discussing and providing new future directions aligned with the closing remarks as well as a strategic agenda for future action post-COVID-19.

Suggested Citation

  • Vasco Santos & Maria José Sousa & Carlos Costa & Manuel Au-Yong-Oliveira, 2021. "Tourism towards Sustainability and Innovation: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-20, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:20:p:11440-:d:657913
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Beatrice Avolio & Ma. Belén Prados-Peña & Eduardo Pardo, 2024. "Volunteer Tourism: A Systematic Literature Review," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(2), pages 21582440241, June.
    3. Maria Lúcia Pato & Ana Sofia Duque, 2025. "Mapping Innovation and Sustainability in Rural Tourism: A Bibliometric Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-16, March.
    4. Nora Mehnen & Ingo Mose & Peter Schaal & Frans Sijtsma & José Muñoz-Rojas & Mariia Fedoriak & Per Angelstam, 2023. "Periphery and Integrated Planning: Coping with Rural and Touristic Challenges across Scales in the German Wadden Sea Region," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-21, April.
    5. Elena Petelos & Danai Antonaki & Erasmia Angelaki & Christos Lemonakis & Garefalakis Alexandros, 2025. "Enhancing Public Health and SDG 3 Through Sustainable Agriculture and Tourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-17, July.
    6. Yuxiang Zheng & Kegong Zhang, 2022. "A Study on the Evaluation of Green Innovation Efficiency and Influencing Factors of the Chinese Tourism Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-16, December.
    7. Zhuoyue Zhu & Hongming Xie, 2022. "What Do We Know and What Do We Need to Know about COVID-19’s Implications on Business Economics? From Bibliometric Analysis to a Conceptual Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-16, May.

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