Tourists’ Emotional Behavior in the Digital Age: A Systematic Literature Review

Digital technologies are transforming the tourist experience, not only in terms of its functional dimension but also in terms of the emotional experience felt and/or expressed throughout the travel process. Long relegated to the background in scientific literature, this study offers a renewed analysis of the tourist journey by integrating this dimension, thereby enriching the existing theoretical literature. This qualitative systematic literature review examines how digital technologies influence tourists’ emotions across all stages of the travel experience. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science, the review aims to: • Identify and compare theoretical and conceptual frameworks used to study tourist emotions in digital contexts. • Analyze mechanisms linking digital technology use to tourists’ emotional responses (positive, negative, ambivalent). • Develop a conceptual framework integrating contextual factors, technological interventions, emotional mechanisms, and behavioral outcomes (CIMO). The review follows the PRISMA 2020 guidelines and applies the CIMO framework to structure eligibility and analysis. The synthesis highlights emerging trends, research gaps, and practical recommendations for tourism stakeholders in the digital era.