Tour guide research revisited: a thematic synthesis and future directions

Purpose Existing knowledge on tour guiding is fragmented, which limits the understanding of this important profession. This paper aims to critically examine the progress of tour guide research, identify key theoretical tensions and propose future research directions based on a systematic synthesis of existing knowledge. Design/methodology/approach A thematic analysis was conducted on 267 papers retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus and Google Scholar databases. Papers were systematically coded, categorized into themes and integrated into a framework that represents relationships among key themes in tour guide research. Findings The analysis generated an integrated framework consisting of nine interrelated themes. Antecedents such as “stakeholder expectations,” “external challenges,” “organizational factors,” “capacity building and development” and “tour guide personal attributes” influence tour guides’ “roles,” “wellbeing” and “performance.” Tour guide “roles,” “personal attributes” and “performance” are closely linked to “tourist outcomes.” The authors identify key research problems in the existing literature and propose a research agenda that highlights the need for empirical validation of the profession’s distinct characteristics, exploration of role conflicts and examination of the tensions between idealized expectations and occupational realities. Originality/value The review contributes to the literature by synthesizing progress in tour guide research, explicitly identifying unresolved theoretical tensions and offering a comprehensive agenda to guide future work. It provides valuable insights for researchers, policymakers and industry practitioners seeking to advance understanding and professionalization of the tour guiding profession.