Sustainable tourism consumer behavior: a science mapping analysis of trends and future directions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51359/2526-7884.2025.264332Keywords:
Sustainable tourism, Consumer behaviour, Eco-friendly practices, Bibliometric analysis, Environmental behaviourAbstract
This paper investigates the factors influencing consumer behaviour in sustainable tourism through a bibliometric analysis of 448 articles from the Web of Science database. The research aims to identify trends, influential authors, countries, affiliations, research themes, and gaps in the literature, providing insights for future research and sustainable tourism practices. The study is grounded in consumer behaviour and sustainability theories, focusing on the psychological, social, and economic factors that drive tourists' decisions to adopt eco-friendly practices. A bibliometric analysis was conducted utilising the R-Bibliometrix package and the Biblioshiny web application. Co-citation, co-occurrence, and collaboration network analyses were employed to examine publication trends, research themes, and collaborations. The study includes articles published between 1999 and 2023, mapping the evolution of consumer behaviour research in sustainable tourism. The analysis reveals substantial growth in research on sustainable tourism consumer behaviour, particularly from 2010 onwards. Key themes identified include the influence of convenience, cost, personal experiences, and economic trade-offs on tourists' eco-friendly choices. Social norms also play a significant role in encouraging sustainable behaviour. The findings emphasise the need for more comprehensive research on the supply side of sustainable tourism, the effectiveness of policies, and longitudinal studies to track changes in consumer behaviour over time. The insights gained from this analysis can inform future studies and aid in developing strategies for promoting environmentally responsible tourism behaviours.
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