Trends and Perspectives of Marine Sports Tourism: A Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Review

Abstract

Marine sports tourism has emerged as a significant niche within the broader tourism industry, offering unique opportunities for economic development, social well-being, and environmental sustainability. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of marine sports tourism research, examining publications up to July 2024 from the core collection databases of the Web of Science. The analysis assesses the productivity, research themes, and emerging trends within this field. The results indicate significant growth in research output over the past three decades. Saayman M., Giglio V. J., and Van der Merwe P. are identified as the most productive authors, while Australia, the United States, China, and the United Kingdom demonstrate high levels of research productivity and impact. Ocean & Coastal Management is recognized as the most impactful journal. Keyword co-occurrence and clustering analysis revealed four major research clusters: Environmental Impacts and Community Interaction, Conservation and Ecological Impacts, Behavioral Studies and Perceptions, and Management and Scuba Diving. Topic trend analysis highlights a shift in research focus from the environmental impacts of marine sports tourism to a more integrated approach that considers environmental, economic, and social dimensions. Based on the current research landscape and developmental trajectory, the study proposes future research directions, including addressing identified research gaps, enhancing the resilience of marine sports tourism activities, and developing holistic approaches to sustainable tourism from an interdisciplinary perspective.