Sustainable tourism research: an analysis of papers published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism

This paper reviews a content analysis of papers published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism, the only journal exclusively devoted to sustainable tourism research over the past 15 years (1993-2007). Based on a detailed examination of the contents, a database was developed which consists of information about (1) volume/number/year; (2) study areas; (3) forms of tourism; (4) subject themes; (5) research perspectives; (6) concept and measurement and (7) methodology. A series of trends describing the growth of sustainable tourism research has been identified. The findings present the journal's contribution to theoretical debates, methodological sophistication and practical implications in sustainable tourism development. Future directions for sustainable tourism research are also discussed.