MAPPING GLOBAL ECOTOURISM RESEARCH: A BIBLIOMETRIC STUDY USING VOSVIEWER

Abstract

Ecotourism has become a central theme in sustainable tourism discourse, emphasizing the balance between environmental conservation and socio-economic development. This study aims to offer a comprehensive bibliometric overview of global ecotourism research trends and identify emerging directions for future inquiry. By mapping the evolution of this multidisciplinary field, the study clarifies the role of ecotourism in sustainability, conservation, and community empowerment. A total of 2,228 publications from 1986 to 2024 were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliometric techniques such as performance analysis and science mapping were conducted using VOSviewer to analyze trends in authorship, keywords, co-citation, and institutional collaborations. The results demonstrate a steady growth in ecotourism scholarship, with significant contributions from China, the United States, and Australia. Key themes include sustainable tourism, conservation, GIS applications, and community-based ecotourism initiatives. Influential authors and journals were identified, revealing clustering patterns around sustainability management and policy frameworks. The findings also underscore the rising importance of interdisciplinary and international collaboration. While research remains concentrated in English-language sources, there is increasing engagement from developing regions. Temporal analysis shows an exponential rise in publications post-2010, reflecting growing academic and policy interest. The study also captures how digital tools and remote sensing technologies are shaping new research frontiers in ecotourism. Furthermore, collaboration networks indicate a shift toward South-South academic partnerships, especially in biodiversity-rich regions. This structured analysis provides valuable guidance for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners aiming to enhance the sustainability and inclusivity of ecotourism initiatives. The study contributes to the strategic development of ecotourism by highlighting conceptual gaps, research strengths, and the need for integrated, policy-relevant approaches. It also points out underexplored areas such as indigenous knowledge integration and long-term impact assessment. Ultimately, this research facilitates a better understanding of how ecotourism can support the global sustainability agenda.