Current Trends and Future Directions in Sustainable Tourism Efficiency: A Bibliometric Mapping Study
Diana GOMBITOVÁ
https://doi.org/10.18267/pr.2026.vol.2587.12
Abstract: In the context of rising environmental pressures and digital transformation, efficiency assessment in tourism is increasingly expected to integrate sustainability objectives. Despite the expanding body of literature, sustainable tourism efficiency research still lacks a coherent methodological framework. This study performs a bibliometric analysis of 1,390 records from Web of Science Core Collection (2019 – 2026) to map the evolution, structure and methodological development at the intersection of Data Envelopment Analysis and sustainable tourism in the post-pandemic era. Using VOSviewer and the R-bibliometrix package, the study identifies 114 frequently occurring terms in five thematic clusters, demonstrating a transition from conventional technical efficiency approaches to integrated eco-efficiency models. These findings contribute to conceptual clarification and future research orientation by systematizing the evolving synergy between efficiency measurement and sustainability imperatives. This study provides a structural roadmap for researchers and policymakers engaged in the green transition of the tourism industry, emphasizing the need for holistic frameworks that balance economic performance with environmental accountability.
Keywords: tourism efficiency, sustainable tourism, bibliometric analysis, data envelopment analysis
JEL Classification codes: Z32, Q56
Fulltext: PDF
Published by: Prague University of Economics and Business, Oeconomica Publishing House
Year of publication: 2026
Online publication date: 20 May 2026
Copyright: Authors of the papers
ISBN 978-80-245-2587-7
ISSN 2453-6113
Pages 142-153