Bibliometric analysis of GIS applications in heritage studies based on Web of Science from 1994 to 2023

Heritage holds significant historical, cultural, or natural value. GIS technology integrates spatial and attribute data of heritage sites, providing a powerful modern tool for better understanding, preservation, and management of heritage resources. To reveal the progress and trends in GIS applications in heritage studies (GIS-Heritage), this study collected and analyzed 1026 relevant research articles published between 1994 and 2023 from the Web of Science database. The analysis was conducted using the VOSviewer software for bibliometric and visualization analysis. The results demonstrated that Italy has made the largest contributions in the field of GIS-Heritage. There exists a close collaboration among research institutions. Journals like the Journal of Cultural Heritage played crucial roles. The most influential authors include Brown, Agapiou, and Nicu. The key research themes identified encompass cultural heritage, GIS, sustainable development, spatial analysis, archaeology, conservation, and photogrammetry. Based on the findings of the bibliometric analysis, this paper puts forward future research recommendations in the field of GIS-Heritage, focusing on data integration, technological innovation, as well as interdisciplinary and international collaboration.