Thematic Evolution of Tourism Planning Research Field

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Faculty of Economics, Management and Accounting, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

2 Department of Tourism Management, Faculty of Management and Accounting, Allameh Tabatab'i University, Tehran, Iran

3 Tourism and hospitality management department, Shiraz University

Abstract

Context and Purpose: This bibliometric analysis explores the evolution of tourism planning research over the past 44 years (1978-2022).
Design/methodology/approach: The relevant body of literature was screened with a clearly defined search query in the Scopus database. After checking the title, abstract, and keywords and removing irrelevant documents, 836 documents indexed in the Scopus database were analyzed. SciMAT was employed for science mapping and analyzing thematic networks. 
Findings: Results revealed the major thematic networks in five periods. Three interrelated thematic areas were also identified: tourism management, sustainable tourism development, and community participation. Among the identified topics, “tourism stakeholders” has attracted scholarly attention since the first period and is expected to be one of the main topics in the future.
Conclusion: The analysis of the main thematic networks and thematic areas revealed several key trends and areas of focus that offer valuable insights into current and future directions for research.
Originality/value: Although tourism planning dates back several decades, no comprehensive research has been done to investigate thematic evolutions in this research field. This study will help inform researchers and activists in tourism planning and development about future research trends and topics. 

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Tourism Planning and Development
Volume 13, Issue 51
December 2025
Pages 7-42

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