Rethinking Sustainability in Circular Tourism: A Multi‐Theoretical Pathway to Empowerment, Regeneration, Synergy, and Resilience

ABSTRACT This study aims to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework for circular tourism that supports the transition from linear consumption models to circular and sustainable systems in the tourism sector. The study employs a systematic meta‐synthesis approach, drawing on 129 peer‐reviewed articles. Through an abductive process of thematic analysis, combining inductive coding with deductive, theory‐guided grouping, 50 implementation practices were identified and then organized according to semantic similarities into 10 organizing themes and ultimately 4 global themes. The proposed framework integrates four complementary theories, Empowerment Theory, Cradle‐to‐Cradle Theory, Social Capital Theory, and Social‐Ecological Resilience Theory, to build a theoretically grounded model. The meta‐synthesis resulted in a three‐layered conceptual framework consisting of 50 implementation practices, 10 organizing themes, and 4 global themes: Empowerment, Regeneration, Synergy, and Resilience. Empowerment establishes the social and human foundation; Regeneration transforms resource and material interaction patterns; Synergy creates the institutional basis for collective action; and Resilience ensures the system's capacity to absorb disruptions and maintain long‐term viability. By combining Empowerment Theory, Cradle‐to‐Cradle Theory, Social Capital Theory, and Social‐Ecological Resilience Theory, it provides a holistic perspective emphasizing synergistic interactions among social, material, institutional, and adaptive dimensions. The framework contributes theoretically by offering researchers and practitioners a structured foundation for implementing circular practices in tourism.