Amid growing environmental and social pressures, regenerative tourism has emerged as a distinct paradigm that moves beyond sustainability-oriented maintenance by emphasizing the restoration and flourishing of ecosystems and communities. Despite growing scholarly attention, research on regenerative tourism destinations (RTDs) remains fragmented across disciplines, with limited synthesis at the destination and marketing levels. This study addresses this gap through a systematic review that consolidates the intellectual structure, strategic orientations, and theoretical foundations of RTD research, while clarifying regenerative tourism as a socio-ecological paradigm centered on renewal rather than mere impact reduction.
Drawing on a systematic literature review, this study analyzes 116 peer-reviewed journal articles published between January 2007 and April 2025, selected from an initial pool of 277 records using a PRISMA-guided protocol. The review was conducted in two stages. First, a bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer mapped keyword co-occurrences, citation networks, and research clusters to identify dominant streams and intellectual influences. Second, a thematic content analysis using NVivo examined how regenerative principles are conceptualized and operationalized, particularly in relation to destination marketing and branding strategies.
The analysis reveals six dominant strategic orientations within RTD scholarship: purpose-driven branding, niche targeting and segmentation, experiential marketing, community-centric marketing, partnership and network marketing, and digital engagement. The findings demonstrate that while regenerative tourism is frequently framed as a philosophical or governance paradigm, its strategic translation into destination-level marketing remains uneven and under-theorized. The review further identifies emerging research opportunities, including regenerative branding and ethical travel behavior, the co-creation of regenerative experiences, green branding differentiation, and the application of artificial intelligence in RTDs.
By synthesizing fragmented literature into an integrative framework, this study provides destination managers and policymakers with clearer strategic guidance for aligning regenerative principles with branding and marketing practices. The framework supports the development of tourism models that promote ecological restoration, community empowerment, inclusive stakeholder participation, and long-term socio-ecological resilience, thereby contributing to more ethical and regenerative forms of destination development.
This study advances regenerative tourism scholarship by moving beyond isolated conceptual discussions and case-based analyses to provide the first systematic synthesis of RTD research at the destination level. By integrating bibliometric mapping with thematic analysis, it develops a coherent conceptual framework that bridges regenerative theory and marketing strategy while strengthening the understanding of the societal and sustainability implications of regenerative destination development.
