Mapping the competitiveness of sports tourism destinations in developing countries: A scoping review protocol

While academic literature offers various models of tourism competitiveness, their specific application to sports tourism in the unique contexts of developing nations remains fragmented and under-theorized, with no prior systematic mapping of evidence from these settings. This scoping review protocol outlines a systematic methodology to comprehensively map and synthesize the existing literature on the competitiveness of sports tourism destinations, with a specific focus on evidence from developing countries. The primary research question is: What are the key determinants and conceptualizations of competitiveness for sports tourism destinations in developing countries? Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Scoping Review Framework and reported per PRISMA-ScR guidelines, the review will employ inclusive eligibility criteria (Population: sports tourism destinations; Concept: competitiveness factors; Context: developing countries), search academic and grey literature sources, extract data on definitions, determinants, models, challenges, strategies, and evidence, and conduct inductive thematic analysis to identify patterns and gaps. The findings aim to consolidate existing knowledge, identify key determinants and gaps, and establish a foundational understanding to guide future research, policy formulation, and industry practices in the sports tourism domain, particularly for resource-constrained settings.