Unveiling the Dynamics of Mass Tourism: Insights From Bibliometric Analysis

Introduction

Variations in the creation of diverse tourist facilities have arisen since the 19th century as a result of society's developing requirements. The early cultural excursions of Europe by the English, driven by a desire to generate the first European holiday spots, led to the depletion of land and the transformation of landscapes (Lopéz, 2019). Tourism is defined as a system that motivates people to travel, temporarily reside in places different from their usual routines, and actively interact with space for the sake of relaxation and pleasure. Therefore, Rosa-Jiménez et al. (2023) define tourism as a physical and geographical response to the trifecta of three essential components: a means of transportation, an event or experience that inspires travel, and a place to stay.

Global consumption patterns have used the term “mass tourism” to describe the influx of travelers to popular vacation locations. The openness of travel has fostered a great deal of diversity due to the proliferation of accessible transportation options and online tools for acquiring tourist services (Ley Bosch et al., 2024). The phenomenon of mass tourism has evolved greatly since the late 20th century, offering a wide range of services such as entertainment, culture, shopping, gatherings, and musical events. Against this backdrop, historic cities—whether they are megalopolises on every continent or little towns in Europe—have become major attractions for vacationers (Garcia-Ayllon, 2018). As new destinations have developed that may appeal to similar traveler motives, the changing tourism market has resulted in slower growth rates and increased competition on the supply side of the business. On the demand side, it is clear that there has been a significant shift in the type of visitor in recent years. Because they are more knowledgeable and experienced than earlier generations, travelers nowadays seek out encounters that are more authentic, memorable, and individualized (Göktaş & Çetin, 2023).

People sometimes refer to destinations that draw large numbers of tourists as mass tourism destinations. However, there has been a dearth of critical analysis of the category's origins in connection to the spatialities of different social groupings (Vainikka, 2016). The interconnectedness of underground and surface areas makes karst systems particularly susceptible to the negative effects of human development on their sustainability. Despite the fact that cave tourism is mainly driven by economic interests, the primary goal of geo-tourism, and by extension, cave tourism, must be the preservation of the cave environment (Tičar et al., 2018). Technological advancement is the key to the tourism industry's promising future, which necessitated a paradigm shift to attract more potential customers. Businesses are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic problem by using technologically advanced, data-driven strategies. The tourism industry could also find a way to make greater use of current information technology if it wants to stay in business. Virtual reality represents one of the numerous cutting-edge innovations brought forth by the industrial explosion. Virtual tourism offers a more secure and superior alternative for the tourist industry. The development of VR and AR has made it possible for vacationers to virtually see faraway lands without leaving their couches (Akhtar et al., 2021). While ecotourism has the potential to bolster the economies of neighboring towns and provide substantial revenue for the protected area, many worry that it poses a serious risk to the natural world. It is believed that the opportunity to spend time in a breathtaking natural environment encourages people to become more environmentally conscious and to take action to safeguard the environment (Taczanowska et al., 2019).