Bibliometric Analysis of Online Collaboration in Travel Agencies

With the integration of ICT in the distribution channels, the client is increasingly independent and autonomous in obtaining tourist services and products. The COVID-19 pandemic and global physical distancing policies reinforced this, detrimentally for traditional travel agents, who have been forced to migrate totally or partially to an online business model. However, working online is not enough since it is necessary to have online collaboration strategies that facilitate the positioning of each participant in a hostile competitive environment. The research is developed through a bibliometric study, using the information obtained in the Scopus database to establish the state of knowledge about online collaboration in travel agencies. Various Excel, Bibexcel, EndNote x20, Pajeck, SciMath, and VOSviewer software were used to analyse indicators and map bibliometric networks. The results show that the state of cooperation between travel agencies as a factor of advantage in the new tourist environments is characterized by fierce competition and the strong impact of the digital age, which constitute the main innovative contribution of the study. It is also determined that the research topic has not had high productivity in the database. Among the main research gaps identified are online collaboration in traditional travel agencies and the impacts of cooperation on customer perception and cybersecurity. The study identifies the field’s most influential authors, journals, publications, key themes and trends that have emerged over time. By identifying the critical success factors and challenges of online collaboration in the travel industry, this study can help organizations to improve their collaboration practices.