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A Bibliometric Review of Innovations in Sustainable Tourism Research: Current Trends and Future Research Agenda

Author

Listed:
  • Lina Pilelienė

    (Faculty of Economics and Management, Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaičio Str. 58, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Viktorija Grigaliūnaitė

    (Faculty of Economics and Management, Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaičio Str. 58, LT-44248 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Yuliya Bogoyavlenska

    (Faculty of Business and Services, Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University, Chudnivska Str. 103, UA-10005 Zhytomyr, Ukraine)

Abstract

This bibliometric review explores the existing publications regarding innovations in sustainable tourism. The aim of the review was to determine the existing research trends in the field of innovations in sustainable tourism by mapping the research on the innovations and “smart” aspects in sustainable tourism and contributing to the field by outlining the recent research trends, identifying the general topics and subtopics, and thus guiding future researchers in choosing an attractive research direction. The bibliometric analysis based on the PRISMA guidelines was provided to extract 179 all-open-access documents (articles, research papers, conference papers, and book chapters) from the Scopus database. As the research field was found to be expanding (thirty-eight documents were dated 2023 compared to one dated 2010), its attractiveness was confirmed. The analysis of the most-cited publications showed the existence of three research trends: (1) management-focused, (2) sustainability-focused, and (3) smart/ITCs-focused. Moreover, the analysis of the author keywords enabled outlining the main future research themes, namely tourism, sustainability, management, scope, innovation, smart, and method, and providing considerations for the future. For a broader dissemination of their findings, authors are encouraged to pay greater attention to these factors: inter-country collaboration, leading institution, journal choice, and topic choice.

Suggested Citation

  • Lina Pilelienė & Viktorija Grigaliūnaitė & Yuliya Bogoyavlenska, 2024. "A Bibliometric Review of Innovations in Sustainable Tourism Research: Current Trends and Future Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-28, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:16:p:7124-:d:1459531
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Olakunle Shakur Olawuyi & Carina Kleynhans, 2025. "A Bibliometric Analysis of Service Quality in the Hospitality Industry (2014–2024)," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-23, May.
    2. Jakson Renner Rodrigues Soares & Raquel Santiago Romo & María Paula Lechuga Sancho & María Francisca Casado Claro & Anderson Gomes de Souza, 2026. "Theoretical Horizons of Conscious Tourism: A Bibliometric Exploration of Its Conceptual, Social, and Intellectual Structures," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(S1), pages 964-981, January.
    3. Micaela Pinho & Fátima Leal, 2024. "AI-Enhanced Strategies to Ensure New Sustainable Destination Tourism Trends Among the 27 European Union Member States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-16, November.
    4. Kok Wai Cheng & Jing Yi Yong & Woon Leong Lin & Mohd Yusoff Yusliza, 2026. "Sustainable consumption in hospitality: the nexus between circular economy, strategic orientation, and economic resilience—a bibliometric analysis," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-27, December.

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