A bibliometric-systematic review of digital transformation and circular economy in sustainable tourism across Asia

Combining digital transformation and circular economy principles is increasingly vital to advancing sustainable tourism, especially within Asia’s evolving economic and technological landscape. This study conducts a Bibliometric-Systematic Literature Review (B-SLR) of 101 peer-reviewed articles published between 2013 and 2024, focusing on the intersection of digital innovation and circular economy within the tourism sectors of key Asian countries, including China, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia. The findings reveal substantial scholarly interest in technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and innovative tourism platforms. However, the review also exposes empirical gaps – particularly in real-world validation of digital solutions and the uneven application of circular economic principles across different governance contexts. China and South Korea have emerged as leading contributors to the research domain. Conversely, Southeast Asian nations demonstrate growing but fragmented scholarly output. This study introduces a new approach by combining bibliometric mapping and qualitative synthesis. This method provides a complete overview of both theoretical and practical developments. The results provide actionable insights for policymakers to align digital innovation with sustainability goals and guide industry practitioners in adopting regenerative and tech-enabled tourism strategies. These findings also highlight the need for more context-specific, empirical research across diverse Asian tourism ecosystems.