Overtourism and sustainability: A bibliometric study (2018–2021)

Abstract

The term “overtourism” refers to the negative impact of tourism on the quality of life of citizens and visitor experiences in a destination. It is a relatively new concept in scientific research. Any discussion of overtourism is meaningless without also considering sustainability. When costs exceed benefits, tourism development is no longer sustainable, and interventions become necessary. This review provides a rigorous and up-to-date synthesis of overtourism and its relationship with sustainability. The aim is to provide a clear and comprehensive picture of the increasingly strong link between the two. This article presents bibliometric analysis of documents published from 2018 onwards. It objectively and quantifiably assesses the state of the literature on overtourism in the context of sustainability. The evidence confirms that new research trends in overtourism are closely linked to European urban areas. The paper also reveals the agents directly or indirectly involved in the analysis and research process through an active funding strategy for this field of study. The main contribution of this study lies in showing public-private collaboration in the design and promotion of socio-technical and environmental transitions in tourism.