This study presents a bibliometric analysis of hospitality and tourism literature related to the COVID-19 pandemic, categorizing the pandemic into five phases: inception, growth, maturity, endemic and new normal.
Using the Web of Science database, 2,485 publications from Q1 and Q2 journals of the SCImago Journal and Country Rank, published from January 2020 to July 2024, were analyzed. Advanced bibliometric techniques, including co-word analysis and structural topic modeling, were employed to trace research trends and theoretical frameworks.
The study identifies key publications, authors and affiliations. It also highlights evolving research themes across different pandemic phases. The analysis reveals a dynamic shift from immediate impacts to recovery, resilience and sustainability. The study also discusses the diverse theoretical approaches used to understand pandemic-related behaviors, emphasizing the importance of health and risk theories.
Findings point to ways in which businesses may adapt and diversify their business models to be more resilient to future health-related crises. The findings further emphasize the importance of promoting sustainable and responsible tourism practices, as well as supporting employee well-being.
The findings offer valuable insights for future research and practical implications for the hospitality and tourism sectors in preparing for potential future pandemics by reviewing the entire progress of the pandemic.
