Abstract
This study aims to provide a holistic and comprehensive picture of the current state of luxury tourism research. In order to do so, 119 articles published between 2004-2019 were analysed by content analysis and a systematic literature review. Based on the analysis of the systematic literature review, the study synthesised the theoretical research streams on luxury tourism research. The studies approached the context via ten different key features. The findings suggest that current luxury tourism research concentrates on quantitative studies, conducted mainly in contexts that present traditional luxury tourism products. The synthesis of the theoretical streams identifies that research is based on marketing literature, and this is discussed with four different approaches (1) consumer consumption, (2) brand management, (3) service marketing, and (4) consumer behaviour-oriented perspective. Luxury tourism is a multidimensional and broad concept that requires attention in academic research. The study also gives suggestions for future research opportunities.
Highlights
In the past 20 years, the consumer market has been affected by the transition to an experience-based economy (Atwal & Williams, 2009; Carù & Cova, 2007; 2003; Pine & Gilmore, 1999), meaning that rather than just buying products or services, consumers are searching for experiences to fulfil their needs and desires
The findings illustrate that in the current contextualisation of luxury tourism scholars still heavily base their concepts of luxury tourism on stars or material factors; this means that assumptions of what is considered a luxury is based on objectifying luxury with rather technical features or physical elements and hardware
The findings indicate that more research is needed on luxury tourism products and experiences based on other factors than conspicuous consumption; that is key factors derived from elements other than status, brand, or class
Summary
In the past 20 years, the consumer market has been affected by the transition to an experience-based economy (Atwal & Williams, 2009; Carù & Cova, 2007; 2003; Pine & Gilmore, 1999), meaning that rather than just buying products or services, consumers are searching for experiences to fulfil their needs and desires. The concept of luxury has evolved and become multifold and besides the traditional understanding of the concept is a new form of luxury, that is, unconventional luxury (Thomsen, Holmqvist, von Wallpach, Hemetsberger, & Belk, 2020). The traditional understanding of luxury highlights the conspicuous consumption of luxury, which means that luxury is seen as elitist, exclusive, symbolic, prestigious, expensive, and attached firmly to the products and their attributes (Godey et al, 2013). In this perspective, consumers gain value as a form of status via public symbolism (Thomsen et al, 2020). The new understanding of luxury approaches luxury as epistemologically scare, experiential, and agentic (Thomsen et al, 2020), which means luxury is seen as a consumer-defined approach, where the meaning of luxury is more selfdriven, emotional, and emphasising the experiences, quality, and enrichment of life (Bauer, von Wallpach, & Hemetsberger, 2011; Yeoman & McMahon-Beattie, 2011)
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