Exploring Research Trends in Sustainable Mountain and Rural Tourism (SMRT): A Bibliometric Study with Biblioshiny and VOS viewer

Authors

  • Ajay Bisht University of Dev Bhoomi, Uttarakhand, India Author
  • Vipan Kumar University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala, India Author
  • Ashish Nag University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala, India Author
  • Suman Sharma University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala, India Author
  • Rohit Thakur University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala, India Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/1v09wm68

Keywords:

Sustainable Mountain Tourism, Rural Tourism, Bibliometric Analysis, Vosviewer, Biblioshiny

Abstract

Mountain and rural tourism constitute significant segments of the global tourism industry, offering unique natural, cultural, and recreational experiences. This study presents a bibliometric analysis of sustainable mountain and rural tourism literature from 1990 to 2025, drawing on Scopus-indexed articles and utilising tools such as VOSviewer and Biblioshiny to identify key research themes, influential authors, and geographic trends. Major contributor countries include China, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Italy. Emerging topics cover socioeconomic empowerment, gender dynamics, rural population changes, and tourism development, with an emphasis on balancing economic growth and environmental conservation. The rise in demand, partly fuelled by increased health awareness and urban stress, underscores the importance of sustainable approaches that integrate community participation, policy innovation, and environmental stewardship. This synthesis highlights the critical role of mountain and rural tourism in fostering resilient economies and ecosystems while preserving cultural heritage, offering a roadmap for future research and sustainable development strategies.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ali, I., & Gölgeci, I. (2019). Where is supply chain resilience research heading? A systematic and co-occurrence analysis. International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 49(8), 793–815. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-02-2019-0038

Almasov, N., & Orujov, E. (2025). Organizational and Economic Aspects of Mountain Tourism Management. BIO Web of Conferences, 151. https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/202515103015

Bisht, A., Kumar, V., Thakur, V., & Rana, R. (2025). Sustainable tourism management: Challenges and strategic solutions for a resilient industry. International Journal of Tourism and Hotel Management, 7(1), 48–55. https://doi.org/10.22271/27069583.2025.v7.i1a.124

Bhatt, K., Seabra, C., Kabia, S. K., Ashutosh, K., & Gangotia, A. (2022). COVID Crisis and Tourism Sustainability: An Insightful Bibliometric Analysis. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(19), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912151

Bozok, D., Kılıç, S. N., & Özdemir, S. S. (2017). Bibliometric analysis of rural tourism on tourism literature

Turizm literatüründe kırsal turizmin bibliyometrik analizi. Journal of Human Sciences, 14(1), 187. https://doi.org/10.14687/jhs.v14i1.4274

Choudhary, V., Nag, A., Kumar, A., & Kumar, V. (2024). Wetland Tourism: A Bibliometric Analysis (1985-2022). Journal of Tourismology, 0(0), 0–0. https://doi.org/10.26650/jot.2024.10.2.1444196

Cronjé, D. F., & du Plessis, E. (2020). A review on tourism destination competitiveness. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 45(September 2019), 256–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2020.06.012

Dax, T., & Tamme, O. (2023). Attractive Landscape Features as Drivers for Sustainable Mountain Tourism Experiences. Tourism and Hospitality, 4(3), 374–389. https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp4030023

Dhungana, B. R. (2024). Impact of sustainable mountain tourism on economic development : A systematic review. 7, 1–13.

Dhungana, B. R. (2024). Tourism Policy for Sustainable Mountain Tourism: A Systematic Literature Review. Journal of Tourism and Himalayan Adventures, 6(1), 45–57. https://doi.org/10.3126/jtha.v6i1.67390

Dobre, C., Linca, A. C., Toma, E., & Iorga, A. (2024). Sustainable Development of Rural Mountain Tourism: Insights from Consumer Behavior and Profiles. Sustainability (Switzerland), 16(21). https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219449

Higham, J., & Miller, G. (2018). Transforming societies and transforming tourism: sustainable tourism in times of change. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 26(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2018.1407519

Ferreira, J., Silvério, A. C., Vaz, M., & Fernandes, P. O. (2023). The relationship between rural tourism, sustainable tourism and outdoor activities: A systematic literature review. Perspectives and Trends in Education and Technology, 597-608. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-6585-2_53

KALIPÇI, M. B. (2024). Exploring the Nexus of Tourism and Technology Acceptance: A Bibliometric Analysis. Journal of Tourism and Gastronomy Studies, 12(1), 29–41. https://doi.org/10.21325/jotags.2024.1367

Kumar, A., Nag, A., Kumar, V., & Sharma, P. (2025). Gastronomy tourism in Himachal Pradesh: A sustainable approach to community empowerment and cultural preservation. In Global sustainable practices in gastronomic tourism (pp. 16). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-7096-4.ch020

Lane, B. (1994). What is rural tourism? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 2(1–2), 7–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669589409510680

Lane, B. (1994). Sustainable rural tourism strategies: A tool for development and conservation. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 2(1–2), 102–111. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669589409510687

Lane, B., & Kastenholz, E. (2015). Rural tourism: the evolution of practice and research approaches – towards a new generation concept? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(8–9), 1133–1156. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2015.1083997

Lun, L. M., Pechlaner, H., & Volgger, M. (2016). Rural Tourism Development in Mountain Regions: Identifying Success Factors, Challenges and Potentials. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality and Tourism, 17(4), 389–411. https://doi.org/10.1080/1528008X.2015.1096754

Mitra, A., & Paul, S. (2025). Balancing Mountain Tourism, Cultural Heritage, and Environmental Stability. Balancing Mountain Tourism, Cultural Heritage, and Environmental Stability, May, 31–54. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-8764-1.ch003

Mohamed Al Matris, A. (2023). The Challenges of Rural Tourism Development. International journal of eco-cultural tourism, hospitality planning and development, 6(2), 29-45.

Nag, A., Kumar, V., Choudhary, V., Kumar, A., & Sharma, R. (2024). Nurturing nature and local well-being in the hills of Himachal Pradesh: Transformation through eco and sustainable tourism practices. In Managing tourism and hospitality sectors for sustainable global transformation (pp. 12). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-6260-0.ch011

Nag, A., Kumar, V., Choudhary, V., Bhanu, U., Sharma, A., & Kapoor, N. (2025). Sustainable tourism in Ladakh: Balancing culture, economic growth, and environmental preservation through homestays drifts. In Global practices and innovations in sustainable homestay tourism (pp. 28). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3373-0427-4.ch014

Ng, S. L. (2022). Bibliometric analysis of literature on mountain tourism in Scopus. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 40, 100587.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2022.100587

Okazaki, E. (2008). A Community-Based Tourism Model: Its Conception and Use. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 16(5), 511–529. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580802159594

Rosalina, P. D., Dupre, K., & Wang, Y. (2021). Rural tourism: A systematic literature review on definitions and challenges. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 47, 134–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2021.03.001

Sanagustín Fons, M. V., Fierro, J. A. M., & Patiño, M. G. y. (2011). Rural tourism: A sustainable alternative. Applied Energy, 88(2), 551–557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2010.08.031

Sharma, V., Nag, P. A., & Kumar, V. (2025). Assessing the Role of Government Support in Promoting Cultural Entrepreneurship in Himachal Pradesh. International Journal of Advance Research in Computer Science and Management Studies, 13(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.61161/ijarcsms.v13i1.1

Sims, R. (2009). Food, place and authenticity: Local food and the sustainable tourism experience. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 17(3), 321–336. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580802359293

Suherlan, A., & Cheer, J. M. (2024). Stakeholders’ perception, determinant factors, and impacts of sustainable rural tourism: A literature review. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1366(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1366/1/012042

Tang, M., & Xu, H. (2023). Cultural Integration and Rural Tourism Development: A Scoping Literature Review. Tourism and Hospitality, 4(1), 75–90. https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp4010006

Uhai, S., Rizani, A., Parwati, K. shanty M., Syaiful, M., & Amir, F. L. (2024). Rural Tourism Development and its Impact on Community Economic Welfare: A Bibliometric Analysis. Sciences Du Nord Humanities and Social Sciences, 1(02), 44–52. https://doi.org/10.58812/snhss.v1i2.24

Wijijayanti, T., Salleh, N. H. M., Hashim, N. A., Mohd Saukani, M. N., & Abu Bakar, N. (2023). the Feasibility of Rural Tourism in Fostering Real Sustainable Development in Host Communities. Geojournal of Tourism and Geosites , 46(1), 336–345. https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.46137-1031

Yang, J., Yang, R., Chen, M. H., Su, C. H. (Joan), Zhi, Y., & Xi, J. (2021). Effects of rural revitalization on rural tourism. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 47(February), 35–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2021.02.008

Downloads

Published

2025-12-01

How to Cite

Bisht, A. ., Kumar, V. ., Nag, A. ., Sharma, S., & Thakur, R. (2025). Exploring Research Trends in Sustainable Mountain and Rural Tourism (SMRT): A Bibliometric Study with Biblioshiny and VOS viewer. Bali Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Culture Research, 3(1), 49-70. https://doi.org/10.5281/1v09wm68