Artificial Intelligence Research Trends in South Korea’s Tourism: A Content and Keyword Network Analysis

This study aims to analyze the trends in artificial intelligence (AI) research within the South Korean tourism sector.With the rapid advancements in AI technology, its profound impact on tourism has become increasingly evident.As a result, approximately 40 papers are published annually, reflecting a significant rise in academic interest.However, while comprehensive analyses of AI in tourism have been conducted internationally, there remains a gap in such research in South Korea.Therefore, this study uses Content Analysis and Keyword Network Analysis to examine the primary themes and their evolution in AI research in the South Korean tourism context.The key findings indicate that AI-related research can be categorized into three steps: Introduction (2000-2011), Growth (2012-2018) and Expansion (2019-2024), with a notable surge in discussions occurring after the Expansion stage.This is believed to be related to the impact of Covid-19.Keywords such as SMART, VR, SERVICE and INTENTION, etc., were found to be the most frequently used in AI research within tourism.Additionally, AI research has garnered attention across academic disciplines, and eight major research topics were identified through keyword network analysis.This study is significant because it offers insights into the development trajectory of AI research in South Korean tourism and highlights key topics for future research.