How can we advance research on female tourists? A bibliometric synthesis and roadmap for future studies

This study offers a comprehensive bibliometric review of research on female tourists, analysing 200 Scopus-indexed journal articles published between 1992 and 2025. Using Biblioshiny for performance metrics, co-word analysis, and historiographic mapping, it traces the field’s evolution from early themes like romance and sex tourism to contemporary issues such as solo travel, safety, empowerment, identity, and intersectionality. The study highlights the interdisciplinary nature of this growing field, with links to feminist geography, digital representation, and risk perception. Key author and country contributions reflect rising global interest in gendered travel experiences. It also outlines a future research agenda focused on various contexts in female tourism research. By synthesising three decades of scholarship, this review provides both a retrospective map and a forward-looking guide for academics, policymakers, and industry professionals committed to advancing gender-sensitive tourism research.