Forest tourism research progress and prospect：a perspective of sustainable forest resource utilization

Forest tourism，as an important form of multifunctional forest resource utilization，integrates ecological conservation，economic development，and social well-being.It has become a key pathway toward sustainable forest resource use.This study aims to systematically review the evolution and key themes of forest tourism research worldwide，identify its theoretical frameworks，research methods，and practical approaches，thus providing theoretical and policy references for the high-quality and sustainable development of forest tourism.From the perspective of sustainable forest resource utilization，this study applied a combined bibliometric and content analysis approach using <italic>CiteSpace</italic>.It identifids major research hotspots and evolution paths of forest tourism studies over the past three decades.The analysis focusd on six major dimensions：conceptual connotations，multidimensional value assessment，resource development and utilization，tourist behavior and experience，impact and effect evaluation，and sustainable management.Comparative analysis was further conducted to reveal the differences and similarities between international and Chinese research in terms of development stages，research orientations，and methodological frameworks.Forest tourism research has evolved from a focus on resource development to an emphasis on ecological protection and then toward integrated sustainable development.International research started earlier and has formed a more mature theoretical system.It highlights ecosystem services，social governance，public participation，and health and well-being，with an increasing trend toward quantitative and interdisciplinary approaches.Although China’s research started relatively late，it has developed rapidly driven by policy guidance and industrial demand，with its research scope expanding from resource evaluation and product development to spatial pattern optimization，management mechanism innovation，and industrial integration.Despite certain differences in theoretical construction and methodological systems，domestic and international studies show a converging trend in development logic and sustainability orientation.Future research should further integrate the socio-ecological-economic system framework，deepen the scientific assessment of forest health and well-being benefits，and strengthen the application of smart technologies to promote the synergistic advancement of sustainable forest resource use and social welfare.