A bibliometric analysis of the intersection between tourism legislation and cultural heritage

Abstract

This study explores the evolving intersection between tourism legislation and cultural heritage, a field increasingly critical due to the global pressures of tourism on heritage sites. As tourism grows, so does the need for regulatory frameworks that balance economic development with cultural preservation. Regulatory governance plays a central role in managing challenges such as over-tourism, heritage degradation, and community participation. Through a bibliometric analysis, this study identifies key scholars, influential works, thematic areas, and trends, aiming to understand how research in this domain has progressed over the past two decades.Using data from the Web of Science and visualized through VOSviewer, the study employs a systematic methodology involving data collection, preprocessing, and network analysis. It examines co-authorship patterns, keyword co-occurrence, citation networks, and thematic evolution. The analysis addresses how research has developed over time, who the leading contributors are, and what the dominant topics in regulatory governance and heritage preservation include. The findings provide a comprehensive overview of the field’s intellectual structure and offer insights for future academic and policy-oriented research.