Digital Tourism Research: A Global Bibliometric Analysis
Jing Zeng
ABSTRACT
This study conducts a global bibliometric analysis of digital tourism research, revealing key trends, developments, and future directions. Driven by technological advances, policy initiatives, market dynamics, and changing consumer behavior, digital tourism has grown rapidly, with the COVID-19 pandemic further accelerating digital transformation through innovations such as AI, VR, and smart tourism solutions. Analyzing literature from 2015 to 2024, the study maps citation networks, co-authorship patterns, and keyword trends to identify emerging themes. Results highlight a surge in research after 2021, particularly from Asia and Europe, while noting persistent challenges in cross-disciplinary and international collaboration. The findings emphasize the sector's growing role in economic development, especially through digital marketing, user experience enhancement, and smart tourism applications. Future research should focus on integrating marketing, service design, and digital innovation to bolster resilience and sustainability in tourism.
