Digital transformation and the new combinations in tourism: A systematic literature review

Abstract

This study aims to analyse the research involving the evolution and development of digital transformation and the new combinations in tourism development. To this end, a systematic literature review was conducted in the Scopus and Web of Science databases, which gathered 167 studies published between 1997 and 2023, representing the final sample analysed in this review. The results allow the identification of three main findings: i) there are four thematic groups - Digital Marketing, Digital Economy, Education and Hospitality and Free Digital; ii) there is a growing interest in the research of this topic and the use of available technologies for the development of tourism companies and their businesses and the respective wider economy; and, iii) digital transformation tends to be a positive factor when applied to the tourism sector. This research further proposes a framework that provides a detailed description of these studies with key issues and contributions from the available literature.