Ecotourism, Sustainable Tourism and Nature Based Tourism: An Analysis of Emerging Fields in Tourism Scientific Literature

Abstract

The emergence and rapid growth of tourism paradigms such as ecotourism, sustainable tourism, and nature-based tourism signify a shift towards more environmentally and culturally conscious forms of tourism. We conduct a comparative analysis of these emerging fields with the aim of providing insights to the field and inform future research directions in this dynamic area of study. Our investigation spans diverse geographical regions over an extended period (1986-2022) to provide a comprehensive understanding of the global landscape of alternative tourism. The study utilizes descriptive bibliometrics and scientific mapping techniques using data derived from Scopus to depict changes and contributions over time and identify thematic structures and their evolution. Along with more established regional actors such as the US and European contributors, China and Latin America appear as emergent participants. The analyzed fields seem more prone to interdisciplinary approaches and more impactful than the average Tourism research. Also, international collaboration seems to have played a crucial role in advancing research in these topics. Overall, the study reveals a vibrant field with outstanding features in the context of general Tourism scientific area.