IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i3p1045-d1578480.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Comprehensive Analysis of Rural Tourism Development: Historical Evolution, Current Trends, and Future Prospects

Author

Listed:
  • Lenka Soták-Benedeková

    (Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Institute of Earth Resources, Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Technical University of Košice, 04200 Košice, Slovakia)

  • Jana Rybárová

    (Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Institute of Earth Resources, Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Technical University of Košice, 04200 Košice, Slovakia)

  • Dana Tometzová

    (Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Institute of Earth Resources, Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Technical University of Košice, 04200 Košice, Slovakia)

  • Andrea Seňová

    (Department of Renewable Energy Sources, Institute of Earth Resources, Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Technical University of Košice, 04200 Košice, Slovakia)

  • Radim Rybár

    (Department of Renewable Energy Sources, Institute of Earth Resources, Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Technical University of Košice, 04200 Košice, Slovakia)

Abstract

Rural tourism, traditionally a niche sector, has gained significance due to changes in societal conditions, emerging as one of the most resilient forms of tourism. This article uses bibliometric analysis to explore the development and current trends in rural tourism research. Data were sourced from the Web of Science, yielding 1675 articles published between 1967 and 2023. Results reveal an average annual significant growth between 2008 and 2015, when 54.4% of all articles were published. Notable peaks include 142 publications in 2014 and a record 1230 citations in 2023, averaging 20.42 citations per article. Key contributions include identifying highly cited works, prolific authors, and leading institutions. Influential researchers such as Hall C. Michael, with 602 publications and an h-index of 67, and Carvalho Celia, a prominent European author, have shaped the field. The Universidad de Extremadura and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are among the top institutions, while journals like Sustainability and Tourism Management stand out for their influence. Six core research themes emerged: (a) the impact of rural tourism on agriculture and the environment, (b) the role of nature conservation and ecotourism in sustainable development, (c) ecological and sustainable approaches in biodiversity conservation, (d) biotechnological innovations in rural tourism, (e) demographic and social factors shaping outdoor recreation, and (f) the impact of rural tourism on sustainable development and community life. The study highlights the need for ongoing innovation to support sustainability goals and emphasizes the importance of understanding historical development and long-term trends in rural tourism research while offering insights into future research directions and practical applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Lenka Soták-Benedeková & Jana Rybárová & Dana Tometzová & Andrea Seňová & Radim Rybár, 2025. "Comprehensive Analysis of Rural Tourism Development: Historical Evolution, Current Trends, and Future Prospects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-41, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:3:p:1045-:d:1578480
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/3/1045/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/3/1045/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Beaumont, Nicholas, 1997. "Scheduling staff using mixed integer programming," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(3), pages 473-484, May.
    2. Donthu, Naveen & Kumar, Satish & Mukherjee, Debmalya & Pandey, Nitesh & Lim, Weng Marc, 2021. "How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 285-296.
    3. Mustak, Mekhail & Salminen, Joni & Plé, Loïc & Wirtz, Jochen, 2021. "Artificial intelligence in marketing: Topic modeling, scientometric analysis, and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 389-404.
    4. Stamatios K. Chrysikopoulos & Panos T. Chountalas & Dimitrios A. Georgakellos & Athanasios G. Lagodimos, 2024. "Green Certificates Research: Bibliometric Assessment of Current State and Future Directions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-45, January.
    5. Martin Beer & Radim Rybár & Michal Kaľavský, 2018. "Renewable energy sources as an attractive element of industrial tourism," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(18), pages 2139-2151, December.
    6. Gerry Johnson & Leif Melin & Richard Whittington, 2003. "Micro Strategy and Strategizing: Towards an Activity‐Based View," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(1), pages 3-22, January.
    7. Haber, Sigal & Reichel, Arie, 2007. "The cumulative nature of the entrepreneurial process: The contribution of human capital, planning and environment resources to small venture performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 119-145, January.
    8. Steven W. Floyd & Bill Wooldridge, 1997. "Middle Management’s Strategic Influence and Organizational Performance," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(3), pages 465-485, May.
    9. Ingham, Alan & Ma, Jie & Ulph, Alistair, 2007. "Climate change, mitigation and adaptation with uncertainty and learning," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(11), pages 5354-5369, November.
    10. Zhigao Liu & Yimei Yin & Weidong Liu & Michael Dunford, 2015. "Visualizing the intellectual structure and evolution of innovation systems research: a bibliometric analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 103(1), pages 135-158, April.
    11. Jana Rybárová & Radim Rybár & Dana Tometzová & Gabriel Wittenberger, 2024. "The Use of Cultural Landscape Fragmentation for Rural Tourism Development in the Zemplín Geopark, Slovakia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-24, May.
    12. Nees Jan Eck & Ludo Waltman, 2010. "Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 84(2), pages 523-538, August.
    13. Kent Baker, H. & Pandey, Nitesh & Kumar, Satish & Haldar, Arunima, 2020. "A bibliometric analysis of board diversity: Current status, development, and future research directions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 232-246.
    14. Perdue, Richard R. & Long, Patrick T. & Kang, Yong Soon, 1999. "Boomtown Tourism and Resident Quality of Life: The Marketing of Gaming to Host Community Residents," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 165-177, March.
    15. Max Wolf & G. Sander van Doorn & Olof Leimar & Franz J. Weissing, 2007. "Life-history trade-offs favour the evolution of animal personalities," Nature, Nature, vol. 447(7144), pages 581-584, May.
    16. Theodore M. Crone, 2005. "An Alternative Definition of Economic Regions in the United States Based on Similarities in State Business Cycles," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 87(4), pages 617-626, November.
    17. Louis Verchot & Meine Noordwijk & Serigne Kandji & Tom Tomich & Chin Ong & Alain Albrecht & Jens Mackensen & Cynthia Bantilan & K. Anupama & Cheryl Palm, 2007. "Climate change: linking adaptation and mitigation through agroforestry," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 12(5), pages 901-918, June.
    18. Maikhuri, R. K. & Nautiyal, S. & Rao, K. S. & Saxena, K. G., 2001. "Conservation policy-people conflicts: a case study from Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (a World Heritage Site), India," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 2(3-4), pages 355-365, July.
    19. Yung-Lun Liu & Jui-Te Chiang & Pen-Fa Ko, 2023. "The benefits of tourism for rural community development," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, December.
    20. Francisco W. Cruz & Stephen J. Burns & Ivo Karmann & Warren D. Sharp & Mathias Vuille & Andrea O. Cardoso & José A. Ferrari & Pedro L. Silva Dias & Oduvaldo Viana, 2005. "Insolation-driven changes in atmospheric circulation over the past 116,000 years in subtropical Brazil," Nature, Nature, vol. 434(7029), pages 63-66, March.
    21. Simon M. Munthali, 2007. "Transfrontier conservation areas: Integrating biodiversity and poverty alleviation in Southern Africa," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 31(1), pages 51-60, February.
    22. Raymond, Christopher M. & Bryan, Brett A. & MacDonald, Darla Hatton & Cast, Andrea & Strathearn, Sarah & Grandgirard, Agnes & Kalivas, Tina, 2009. "Mapping community values for natural capital and ecosystem services," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(5), pages 1301-1315, March.
    23. Verma, Surabhi & Gustafsson, Anders, 2020. "Investigating the emerging COVID-19 research trends in the field of business and management: A bibliometric analysis approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 253-261.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Donthu, Naveen & Kumar, Satish & Mukherjee, Debmalya & Pandey, Nitesh & Lim, Weng Marc, 2021. "How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 285-296.
    2. Emili Vizuete-Luciano & Oktay Güzel & José M. Merigó, 2023. "Bibliometric research of the Pay-What-You-Want Topic," Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(5), pages 413-426, October.
    3. Khan, Ashraf & Goodell, John W. & Hassan, M. Kabir & Paltrinieri, Andrea, 2022. "A bibliometric review of finance bibliometric papers," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PA).
    4. Weisheng Chiu & Thomas Chun Man Fan & Sang-Back Nam & Ping-Hung Sun, 2021. "Knowledge Mapping and Sustainable Development of eSports Research: A Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-17, September.
    5. Mariani, Marcello M. & Hashemi, Novin & Wirtz, Jochen, 2023. "Artificial intelligence empowered conversational agents: A systematic literature review and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    6. ȚÎMBALARI Carolina & HERCIU Mihaela, 2023. "The Synergy Between Culture And Competitiveness: A Bibliometric Analysis," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 18(2), pages 303-319, August.
    7. Sharma, Wamika & Lim, Weng Marc & Kumar, Satish & Verma, Aastha & Kumra, Rajeev, 2024. "Game on! A state-of-the-art overview of doing business with gamification," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    8. Veronica Paul Kundy & Kamini Shah, 2024. "The knowledge base of financial technology: a bibliometric analysis review," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 4(7), pages 1-22, July.
    9. Rina Vuciterna & Giordano Ruggeri & Chiara Mazzocchi & Sara Manzella & Stefano Corsi, 2024. "Women’s entrepreneurial journey in developed and developing countries: a bibliometric review," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 12(1), pages 1-34, December.
    10. Carlo Dindorf & Eva Bartaguiz & Freya Gassmann & Michael Fröhlich, 2022. "Conceptual Structure and Current Trends in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning Research in Sports: A Bibliometric Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-23, December.
    11. Busra Yiğit & Bünyamin Yasin Çakmak, 2024. "Discovering Psychological Well-Being: A Bibliometric Review," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(5), pages 1-24, June.
    12. Tufan Özsoy & Konuralp Sezgili, 2024. "Exploring the Current Practices and Future Directions in Project Management Education and Training," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(1), pages 21582440241, March.
    13. Riad Shams, S.M. & Vrontis, Demetris & Chaudhuri, Ranjan & Chavan, Gitesh & Czinkota, Michael R., 2020. "Stakeholder engagement for innovation management and entrepreneurial development: A meta-analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 67-86.
    14. Khlystova, Olena & Kalyuzhnova, Yelena & Belitski, Maksim, 2022. "The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the creative industries: A literature review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 1192-1210.
    15. Maslinawati Mohamad & Noor Raida Abd Rahman & Hairul Suhaimi Nahar & Coky Fauzi Alfi, 2023. "What Can We Glean from the Past Seven Decades of Voluntary Carbon Emissions Disclosure Research?," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(5), pages 83-97, September.
    16. Andrés Martínez-Medina & Sonia Morales-Calvo & Vicenta Rodríguez-Martín & Víctor Meseguer-Sánchez & Valentín Molina-Moreno, 2022. "Sixteen Years since the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: What Have We Learned since Then?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-21, September.
    17. Cristina Mele & Jaqueline Pels & Maria Spano & Irene Bernardo, 2023. "Emergent understandings of the market," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2023(1), pages 1-25, March.
    18. Ketan Bhatt & Claudia Seabra & Sunil Kumar Kabia & Kumar Ashutosh & Amit Gangotia, 2022. "COVID Crisis and Tourism Sustainability: An Insightful Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-23, September.
    19. Beloskar, Ved Dilip & Haldar, Arunima & Gupta, Anupama, 2024. "Gender equality and women’s empowerment: A bibliometric review of the literature on SDG 5 through the management lens," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    20. Thea Paeffgen, 2022. "Organisational Resilience during COVID-19 Times: A Bibliometric Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-29, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:3:p:1045-:d:1578480. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.