From Shores to Systems: The Evolution of Coastal and Island Tourism Research

Coastal and island tourism represents a key and environmentally sensitive component of the global tourism system, integrating ecological, cultural, and economic dimensions within marine and insular environments. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 1226 Scopus-indexed journal articles in accordance with the PRISMA protocol. By combining performance analysis and science mapping, it examines publication dynamics, thematic structures, intellectual foundations, and global collaboration patterns. The results show steady growth that accelerates after 2010, reflecting the development of descriptive case-based studies to multidisciplinary research. The research landscape reveals four major thematic clusters focusing on tourism development and management, governance and sustainability, climate change adaptation, and technological innovation. The intellectual structure is characterized by seminal works and conceptual foundations that have shaped the development of the field. However, global productivity and collaboration show significant geographic imbalances. This study provides a consolidated understanding of how coastal and island tourism scholarship has evolved and highlights the need for greater theoretical integration, inclusivity, and cooperation to promote sustainable and resilient tourism futures.