A bibliometric analysis of online reviews research in tourism and hospitality

Identifier:  imarina:9138957

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina9138957

Authors:  Muritala, Babajide Abubakr; Sanchez-Rebull, Maria-Victoria; Hernandez-Lara, Ana-Beatriz

Abstract:
© MDPI AG. All rights reserved. This paper reviews the literature on online reviews in tourism and hospitality, and presents the current state of research in the area. A bibliometric approach was used to analyze 632 journal articles on online reviews in tourism and hospitality from 2005 to 2019 from the Scopus Database. This study identifies the most prolific journals, foundational works, and major research themes in the research area. In addition, we analyzed some dimensions of their network structure and the thematic evolution of the research area. The bibliometric method is quantitative and objective, and we carry out an analysis of the area based on citations and keywords. Researchers and business managers can gain useful insights on the current state of the art in this area. There have been only a few literature reviews tracking the growth in this research area, and even fewer using bibliometric methods or science maps. Therefore, this work provides an updated review of this fast-growing area with a bibliometric approach to highlight the recent developments with the aid of science maps, and shows the thematic network structure and evolution with an innovative visualization.