A Systematic Review on the Role of Tourism in Sustainable Development

This systematic review investigates the interaction between tourism and sustainable development. It addresses three research questions, including the characterization of attributes in studies linking tourism and sustainable development, assessment of the relevance and importance of selected articles, and identification of prominent themes within this research domain. The review encompasses a comprehensive analysis of academic papers from the Scopus Database over the past 15 years (2009–2023) across various fields. A search strategy yielded 551 articles, out of which 110 met the inclusion criteria after successive screenings. The study employs descriptive analysis, citation analysis, and bibliometric analysis through VOS viewer software to uncover themes. Results reveal a gradual research interest rise from 2009 to 2023, reflecting global engagement, led by China, Romania, and Russia. Further, co-occurrence maps expose four key clusters: climate change, community-based and rural tourism for sustainable development, and effective destination management. This research highlights the evolving significance of sustainable tourism research and encourages a deeper examination of its specific contributions to sustainable development.