Smart and green solutions in the catering and hospitality: A review of the existing literature

The integration of digital technologies and sustainability practices is reshaping the catering and hospitality industry, yet research on smart and green solutions remains fragmented. This study maps the intellectual and thematic development of this field through a bibliometric analysis of Scopus-indexed publications using VOSviewer, Biblioshiny, and Microsoft Excel. The findings reveal substantial growth in research interest and increasing interdisciplinary contributions across countries, institutions, and authors. Keyword analysis identifies artificial intelligence, sustainability, digital transformation, and social media as dominant themes, while circular economy, Internet of Things (IoT), and customer behavior represent emerging areas. The analysis also highlights a relatively underexplored intersection of AI, IoT, and circular economy, suggesting important opportunities for future research. By consolidating the intellectual structure and emerging themes, this study provides a research agenda for advancing smart and sustainable solutions that enhance operational efficiency, customer experience, environmental performance, and competitiveness in the hospitality sector.