Analyzing the Progress in Chinese Tourism Research over the Past Decade: A Visual Exploration of Keywords and Delphi Surveys

Abstract

Alongside the rapid development of China’s tourism sector, the continuous increase in the number of academic articles and research findings related to tourism in China has expanded the related research topics. Using a visual exploration of keywords and Delphi surveys, this paper systematically summarizes the progress in tourism research in China. The findings show that the research topics of national parks, rural revitalization, virtual tourism, the tourism economy and all-for-one tourism were hotspots in Chinese tourism filed over the past decade. Research methodologies have evolved from qualitative concept clarification to combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. In the future, Chinese tourism research should be explored further to the unique theoretical underpinnings of tourism in China; innovative research should be fostered to achieve theoretical originality; and collaborations between academia and the tourism industry should be facilitated to enhance the practical implications of academic findings. The aforementioned research bottlenecks and corresponding measures, and research vision and prospects indicated in the paper can guide future research, and let Western scholars know the hotspots and future trends of tourism research from the Eastern perspective.