The Advancements of Artificial Intelligence in Tourism and Hospitality Industry: A Bibliometric Review

Abstract

Technological advancements have progressed dramatically in recent times, with artificial intelligence (AI) emerging as a disruptive force reshaping various industries worldwide. AI has revolutionized multiple sectors by offering enhanced customer experiences, optimized processes, and personalized services. In the tourism and hospitality (T&H) industry, AI-driven technologies such as chatbots, virtual assistants, conversational service agents, and ChatGPTs allow travelers to plan their journeys and navigate travel complexities. Due to the rapid development and growing interest in AI applications within the T&H domain, the study conducts a bibliometric analysis to investigate the recent advancements of AI research in the T&H field, identify prominent and emerging research themes, and offer future research directions. A total of 343 documents published between 2018 and 2024 were retrieved from the Scopus database and analyzed using the Bibliometrix R tool. The findings reveal a growing trend in AI research in the domain, with journals such as the “International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management†and “Annals of Tourism Research,†which have been influential in AI literature. Key keywords identified include robotics, machine learning, chatbots, service robots, ChatGPT, and smart tourism, highlighting AI’s diverse applications. The co-word analysis revealed several themes, such as AI-driven robotics and automation addressing COVID-19 challenges, advanced computing techniques and immersive technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality offering enriched travel experiences. Finally, bibliometric review provides new insights for tourism organizations and researchers, emphasizing the transformative impact of AI advancements in T&H research. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.