Understanding Research Trends on Supply Chain Innovation in Tourism: Insights from a Bibliometric Study

Abstract

Purpose – This study investigates how innovation in tourism supply chains has evolved over the past two decades, particularly in response to growing sustainability demands, digital transformation, and global disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal is to map the current state of research and identify gaps that could inform future work.

Design/methods/approach – A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 43 selected articles published between 2003 and 2023, sourced from the Scopus database. The study utilized R Biblioshiny to explore publication trends, author collaboration, country contributions, and emerging research themes within the field of tourism supply chain innovation.

Findings – The results show that research on this topic remained relatively limited until a noticeable increase after 2018. Countries such as Indonesia and France emerged as key contributors. Recurring themes included environmental sustainability, technology adoption, and inter-organizational collaboration. More recent studies have begun to connect these themes, suggesting a shift toward more integrated approaches to innovation in tourism supply chains.

Research implications/limitations – The analysis focuses only on English-language articles indexed in Scopus, which may limit the generalizability of findings. However, the study offers a structured overview that helps clarify how this area of research has developed. It also highlights opportunities for future inquiry, especially in underrepresented regions and in more practical, field-based studies.