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New directions in sustainable tourism research

Lisa Ruhanen (UQ Business School, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia)
Char-lee Moyle (Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia)
Brent Moyle (University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia)

Tourism Review

ISSN: 1660-5373

Article publication date: 18 May 2018

Issue publication date: 24 April 2019

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to expand our understanding of sustainable tourism research given that both researchers and policymakers consistently question the effectiveness of sustainable tourism and its practices, applications and practical adoption.

Design/methodology/approach

The aim of the research was to provide an update on previous studies by examining how sustainable tourism research has progressed in the five intervening years since Ruhanen et al. completed their 25-year bibliometric analysis.

Findings

This paper provides insights into how sustainable tourism research has developed over the 30 years since the publication of the Brundtland report. It shows that over the past five years, the field has matured to place greater emphasis on climate change, modeling, values, behavior and theoretical progression.

Research limitations/implications

Future research in the field should aim to better understand the methods and analysis techniques being used in sustainable tourism, as well as how sustainable tourism and climate change policy and actions translate into policy and practice.

Originality/value

Bibliometrics and text mining shows that 30 years after the Brundtland report, sustainable tourism research continues to grow exponentially, with evidence that the field is starting to mature by broadening its horizons and focusing on more relevant, big-picture and hard-hitting topics, such as climate change.

Keywords

Citation

Ruhanen, L., Moyle, C.-l. and Moyle, B. (2019), "New directions in sustainable tourism research", Tourism Review, Vol. 74 No. 2, pp. 138-149. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-12-2017-0196

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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