Destination of dreams: unravelling wedding and honeymoon tourism research

Destination weddings and honeymoon tourism represent a proliferating segment characterised by couples seamlessly intertwining their wedding festivities with leisure pursuits involving the creation of memorable experiences in idyllic dream destinations. Despite its global appeal and growing scholarly exploration, there is no comprehensive analysis of this phenomenon. The current paper attempts to bridge this gap by developing a knowledge map and analysing the intellectual structure of the landscape through an integrative review process, employing a systematic bibliometric approach. Leveraging the Scopus database, the SPAR−4-SLR protocol was applied, and 105 documents were selected for review. The results unpacked five themes prevalent in the knowledge domain, such as promotion and marketing of wedding destinations, honeymooners’ characteristics, destination selection, supply-side perspectives, and contemporary trends. The findings underscore the recent growth in wedding and honeymoon tourism as distinct topics, with a paucity of insights into the integrated perspectives of the wedding and honeymoon tourism (WHT) phenomenon. Importantly, WHT research is at a fledging stage, covering a decade-long journey. The convergence of leisure, relaxation, and romance in tourism presents a myriad of prospects for future exploration. In summary, this segment holds the potential to be a catalyst for revitalisation, breathing new life into the destination, and opening up opportunities for practitioners and researchers.