A bibliometric perspective on the status of digital geoheritage conservation and geotourism in Africa

Digital technologies are transforming how geological heritage is documented, conserved, interpreted, and promoted for geotourism and sustainable development. Tools such as geographic information systems, remote sensing, 3D modeling, and immersive geovisualization have enabled more effective conservation and deeper community engagement worldwide. However, African geoparks and geoheritage sites are still significantly underrepresented in this digital transition despite the exceptional geodiversity of the continent. To investigate this gap, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of geoheritage-related publications in Africa was conducted using the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Two literature search strategies were employed: One focused on core geoheritage themes and digital technologies; the other integrated regional keywords such as South Africa, Morocco, Ethiopia, Ngorongoro, M'Goun, Victoria Falls, Vhembe, Nigeria, and the Rift Valley. The results revealed clear spatial, institutional, and thematic patterns in the literature, exposing geographic and disciplinary concentrations as well as major blind spots. While global research on digital geoheritage has expanded rapidly with over 900 publications since 2000, Africa accounts for fewer than 30 of these, highlighting a stark disparity in digital innovation and academic visibility. This underrepresentation limits the contribution of Africa to global geoheritage discourse and restricts access to emerging conservation technologies. Bridging this gap will require urgent, strategic investment in digital infrastructure, capacity-building, and regional collaboration to unlock the geoheritage potential of the continent. • Provides the first comprehensive bibliometric analysis of digital geoheritage and geotourism research in Africa. • Reveals underrepresentation of Africa in global geoheritage literature despite exceptional geodiversity. • Identifies thematic, spatial, and institutional blind spots using co-authorship and keyword network mapping. • Emphasizes the transformative potential of GIS, remote sensing, 3D visualization, and immersive technologies for African geoheritage conservation. • Demonstrates the strategic value of scientometric tools in guiding regional research priorities and digital innovation policies.