Neuroscience in tourism and travel: a systematic review of current research and emerging trends

Purpose This study aims to systematically evaluate the contexts, methodological diversity, and research themes in the use of neuroscientific measurements within travel–tourism literature for the period 2013–2025. Accordingly, it analyzes in which research themes, contexts, and methodological clusters the field's methodological transformation (the shift from self-report-based approaches to objective measurements) becomes evident. Design/methodology/approach The systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA reporting guidelines. The literature search was conducted in the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus (SC) databases; a pool of records was created by using tourism/travel-focused terms together with keywords representing neuroscientific measurement methods. A total of 104 records (WoS = 62; SC = 42) were identified. After removing duplicate records, 90 records remained. From these records, 57 publications, including articles, reviews, and conference proceedings published in English in the relevant subject area, were included in the title and abstract review phase. Following a review of titles and abstracts, the full texts of 35 publications deemed suitable were examined, and 27 publications were selected in the final systematic review. Due to methodological heterogeneity among the studies, the findings were integrated using a narrative-thematic synthesis approach. Findings The findings indicate that eye-tracking (ET) and electroencephalography (EEG) neuroscience tools are predominantly used in tourism travel research. Specifically, the ET method is used in the context of visual attention in decision-making processes, hotel choice, restaurant preferences, and online travel agencies. Furthermore, advertising and emotion have frequently been researched in the context of consumer behavior and travel experiences. Methodologically, the general trend highlights an increase in multi-measurement designs over the use of a single method and emphasizes the necessity of more robustly aligning measurements with theoretical mechanisms. Originality/value The study consolidates the neuro-tourism and tourism neuromarketing literature for the 2013–2025 period within a systematic framework, integrating methodological clusters, application contexts, and research themes according to a chronological developmental logic. Thus, it provides a methodological map for the objective measurement-based assessment of tourism behavior and develops actionable recommendations for future research.