Evolution of family leisure time have increased the demand for attractive destinations. In tourism, destination choice (DC) is considered a critical, complex and contextual decision. This, first of its kind, comprehensive, mix method bibliometric analysis of 627 papers from Scopus database spanning 25 years, is aimed to identify and review the most influential DC literature. It shows that DC is an interdisciplinary and evolving subject. Five themes, namely DC conceptualization, DC decision-making, DC modelling, DC internal and external factors are prevalent. DC conceptualization is explained by modified TPB and other models. DC decision-making process is hierarchical, sequential, multistage and varies across psychological, demographic and social profiles. Multiple choice, econometric and utility maximization models along with push–pull internal and external motivational factors have been extensively published. Growing academic interest in DC is evident from a threefold jump in average number of articles post-2007, 2500+ citations in 2019 out of 21,664 across 25 years, a growing trend of cross-country collaboration, rising number of publications in mainstream journals and 9 out of top 10 authors getting published in the short period of 2008–2016. Future research themes include empirical investigations of models, non-linear multifaceted decision-making and the pandemic’s impact on motivational factors.
AhnT., EkinciY., & LiG. (2013). Self-congruence, functional congruence, and destination choice. Journal of Business Research, 66(6), 719–723.
2.
AjzenI., & DriverB. L. (1992). Application of the theory of planned behavior to leisure choice. Journal of Leisure Research, 24(3), 207–224.
3.
AlvarezE., & BridaJ. G. (2019). An agent-based model of tourism destinations choice. International Journal of Tourism Research, 21(2), 145–155.
4.
AtadilH. A., Sirakaya-TurkE., MengF., & DecropA. (2018). Exploring travelers’ decision-making styles. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 30(1), 618–636.
5.
BallantyneR., PackerJ., & AxelsenM. (2009). Trends in tourism research. Annals of Tourism Research, 36(1), 149–152.
6.
BartoliniM., BottaniE., & GrosseE. H. (2019). Green warehousing: Systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 226, 242–258.
7.
BatabyalA. A., & YooS. J. (2020). A theoretical analysis of preference matching by tourists and destination choice. Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science, 4, 809–820.
8.
BeerliA., MenesesG. D., & GilS. M. (2007). Self-congruity and destination choice. Annals of Tourism Research, 34(3), 571–587.
9.
BelenkiyM., & RikerD. (2013). Modeling the international tourism expenditures of individual travelers. Journal of Travel Research, 52(2), 202–211.
10.
Ben-AkivaM., de PalmaA., McFaddenD., Abou-ZeidM., ChiapporiP. A., de LapparentM., DurlaufS. N., FosgerauM., FukudaD., HessS., ManskiC., PakesA., PicardN., & WalkerJ. (2012). Process and context in choice models. Marketing Letters, 23(2), 439–456.
11.
BhattY., GhumanK., & DhirA. (2020). Sustainable manufacturing: Bibliometrics and content analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 260, 120988.
12.
BrinS., & PageL. (1998). The anatomy of a large-scale hypertextual web search engine. Computer Networks and ISDN Systems, 30(1–7), 107–117.
13.
BronnerF., & de HoogR. (2020). The floating vacationer: Destination choices and the gap between plans and behavior. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 16, 100438.
14.
BuhalisD. (2000). Marketing the competitive destination of the future. Tourism Management, 21(1), 97–116.
15.
CardosoL., DiasF., de AraújoA. F., & MarquesM. I. A. (2019). A destination imagery processing model: Structural differences between dream and favourite destinations. Annals of Tourism Research, 74, 81–94.
16.
CoboM. J., López-HerreraA. G., Herrera-ViedmaE. & HerreraF. (2011). An approach for detecting, quantifying, and visualizing the evolution of a research field: A practical application to the fuzzy sets theory field. Journal of Informetrics, 5(1), 146–166
17.
DaviesR., & CairncrossG. (2013). Student tourism and destination choice: Exploring the influence of traditional, new, and social media—An Australian case study. Tourism Culture & Communication, 13(1), 29–42.
18.
DecropA. (1999). Tourists’ decision-making and behavior processes. In PizamA., & MansfeldY. (Eds.), Consumer behavior in travel and tourism (pp. 103–133). New York, NY: The Haworth Press Inc.
19.
DecropA. (2010). Destination choice sets: An inductive longitudinal approach. Annals of Tourism Research, 37(1), 93–115.
20.
DecropA., & SneldersD. (2004). Planning the summer vacation: An adaptable process. Annals of Tourism Research, 31(4), 1008–1030.
21.
DellaertB. G., EttemaD. F., & LindhC. (1998). Multi-faceted tourist travel decisions: A constraint-based conceptual framework to describe tourists’ sequential choices of travel components. Tourism Management, 19(4), 313–320.
22.
DiodatoV. (1994). Dictionary of bibliometrics. New York, NY: Haworth Press.
23.
DredgeD., & JenkinsJ. M. (2007). Tourism planning and policy. Milton: John Wiley & Sons.
24.
Eugenio-MartinJ. L. (2003). Modelling determinants of tourism demand as a five-stage process: A discrete choice methodological approach. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 4(4), 341–354.
25.
EymannA., & RonningG. (1997). Microeconometric models of tourists' destination choice. Regional Science and Urban Economics, 27(6), 735–761.
26.
Fernández CaviaJ., Vinyals-MirabentS., Fernández-PlanellsA., WeberW., & PedrazaR. (2020). Tourist information sources at different stages of the travel experience. El profesional de la información, 29(2), e290219.
27.
FesenmaierD. R., & JengJ. M. (2000). Assessing structure in the pleasure trip planning process. Tourism analysis, 5(1), 13–27.
28.
FishbeinM., JaccardJ.J., DavidsonA.R., AjzenI., & LokenB. (1980). Predicting and understanding family planning behaviors: Beliefs, attitudes, and intentions. In AjzenI. & FishbeinM. (Eds.), Understanding attitudes and predicting social behavior (pp. 130-147). Prentice-Hall.
29.
GaoC., SunM., GengY., WuR., & ChenW. (2016). A bibliometric analysis-based review on wind power price. Applied Energy, 182, 602–612.
30.
Garrigos-SimonF. J., Narangajavana-KaosiriY., & Lengua-LenguaI. (2018). Tourism and sustainability: A bibliometric and visualization analysis. Sustainability, 10(6), 1976.
31.
HassanM. N., NajmiA., & RashidiT. H. (2019). A two-stage recreational destination choice study incorporating fuzzy logic in discrete choice modelling. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 67, 123–141.
32.
HongS. K., KimJ. H., JangH., & LeeS. (2006). The roles of categorization, affective image and constraints on destination choice: An application of the NMNL model. Tourism Management, 27(5), 750–761.
33.
HoriachkoK. (2021). Evaluation of touristic risks while visiting Ukraine and the risk perception by travelers. Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism (JEMT), 12(1), 134–145.
HsuC. H., & HuangS. (2012). An extension of the theory of planned behavior model for tourists. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 36(3), 390–417.
36.
HsuT. K., TsaiY. F., & WuH. H. (2009). The preference analysis for tourist choice of destination: A case study of Taiwan. Tourism Management, 30(2), 288–297.
37.
HuybersT. (2003). Domestic tourism destination choices: A choice modelling analysis. International Journal of Tourism Research, 5(6), 445–459.
38.
HwangY., GretzelU., XiangZ., & FesenmaierD. (2006). Travel destination choice models. In WerthnerH., FesenmaierD. R., & WöberK. W. (Eds.), Destination recommendation systems: Behavioural foundations and applications (pp. 17–29). Oxfordshire: CAB International.
39.
JalilvandM. R., & SamieiN. (2012). The impact of electronic word of mouth on a tourism destination choice: Testing the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Internet Research: Electronic Networking Applications and Policy, 22(5), 591–612.
40.
JengJ., & FesenmaierD. R. (2002). Conceptualizing the travel decision-making hierarchy: A review of recent developments. Tourism Analysis, 7(1), 15–32.
41.
JuschtenM., Jiricka-PürrerA., UnbehaunW., & HössingerR. (2019). The mountains are calling! An extended TPB model for understanding metropolitan residents’ intentions to visit nearby alpine destinations in summer. Tourism Management, 75, 293–306.
42.
KarlM., & ReintingerC. (2017). Investigating tourists’ destination choices: An application of network analysis. European Journal of Tourism Research, 15, 112–130.
43.
KarlM., ReintingerC., & SchmudeJ. (2015). Reject or select: Mapping destination choice. Annals of Tourism Research, 54, 48–64.
44.
KeshavarzianP., & WuC. L. (2017). A qualitative research on travellers’ destination choice behaviour. International Journal of Tourism Research, 19(5), 546–556.
45.
KeshavarzianP., & WuC. L. (2020). Exploring the effect of sequentially receiving airline and destination information on the choice behavior of tourism destinations. Journal of Travel Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287520904781
KlenoskyD. B. (2002). The “pull” of tourism destinations: A means-end investigation. Journal of Travel Research, 40(4), 396–403.
48.
KoseogluM. A., RahimiR., OkumusF., & LiuJ. (2016). Bibliometric studies in tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 61, 180–198.
49.
LaMondiaJ., SnellT., & BhatC. R. (2010). Traveler behavior and values analysis in the context of vacation destination and travel mode choices: European Union case study. Transportation Research Record, 2156(1), 140–149.
50.
LaiL. H., & GraefeA. R. (1999). Identifying market potential and destination choice factors of Taiwanese overseas travelers. Journal of Hospitality & Leisure Marketing, 6(4), 45–65.
51.
LeeT. H., & CromptonJ. (1992). Measuring novelty seeking in tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 19(4), 732–751.
52.
LiC., McCabeS., & LiX. (2019). Digging deeper into decision-making of Chinese long-haul outbound tourists: A two-stage preference estimation approach. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, 6(3), 267–275
53.
LiC., McCabeS., & SongH. (2017). Tourist choice processing: Evaluating decision rules and methods of their measurement. Journal of Travel Research, 56(6), 699–711.
54.
LiberatoP., AiresC., LiberatoD., & RochaÁ. (2019, February). The destination choice by Generation Z influenced by the technology: Porto case study. In International conference on information technology & systems (pp. 32–44). Cham: Springer.
55.
LiuH., LiX. R., CárdenasD. A., & YangY. (2018). Perceived cultural distance and international destination choice: The role of destination familiarity, geographic distance, and cultural motivation. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 9, 300–309.
56.
LouviereJ. J., & TimmermansH. J. (1990). Using hierarchical information integration to model consumer responses to possible planning actions: Recreation destination choice illustration. Environment and Planning A, 22(3), 291–308.
57.
LueC. C., CromptonJ. L., & FesenmaierD. R. (1993). Conceptualization of multi-destination pleasure trips. Annals of Tourism Research, 20(2), 289–301.
58.
MaditatiD. R., MunimZ. H., SchrammH. J., & KummerS. (2018). A review of green supply chain management: From bibliometric analysis to a conceptual framework and future research directions. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 139, 150–162.
59.
MartinD., & WoodsideA. G. (2012). Structure and process modeling of seemingly unstructured leisure travel decisions and behavior. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 24(6), 855–872.
60.
MazzarolT., & SoutarG. N. (2002). “Push-pull” factors influencing international student destination choice. International Journal of Educational Management, 16, 82–90.
61.
McCabeS., LiC., ChenZ.2016. Time for a radical reappraisal of tourist decision making? Toward a new conceptual model. Journal of Travel Research, 55(1), 3–15.
62.
MichaelN., JamesR., & MichaelI. (2018). Australia’s cognitive, affective and conative destination image: An Emirati tourist perspective. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 9(1), 36–59.
63.
MicićJ., DendaS., & PopescuM. (2019). The significance of the risk-related challenges in tourist destination choice. Journal of the Geographical Institute ‘Jovan Cvijić’ SASA, 69(1), 39–52.
MoutinhoL. (1987). Consumer behaviour in tourism. European Journal of Marketing, 21(10), 1–44
66.
Mulet-FortezaC., Genovart-BalaguerJ., Mauleon-MendezE., & MerigóJ. M. (2019). A bibliometric research in the tourism, leisure and hospitality fields. Journal of Business Research, 101, 819–827.
67.
MutindaR., & MayakaM. (2012). Application of destination choice model: Factors influencing domestic tourists destination choice among residents of Nairobi, Kenya. Tourism Management, 33(6), 1593–1597.
68.
NicolauJ. L. (2008). Characterizing tourist sensitivity to distance. Journal of Travel Research, 47(1), 43–52.
69.
NicolauJ. L., & MasF. J. (2006). The influence of distance and prices on the choice of tourist destinations: The moderating role of motivations. Tourism Management, 27(5), 982–996.
70.
NicolauJ. L., & Mas-RuizF. (2004). Analysing three basic decisions of tourists: Going away, going abroad and going on tour (No. 2004–05). Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, SA (Ivie).
71.
NiemczykA. (2015). Family decisions on the tourist market. Economics and Sociology, 8(3), 272.
72.
OhM. J., & LeeT. J. (2012). How local festivals affect the destination choice of tourists. Event Management, 16(1), 1–9.
73.
OkumusB., KoseogluM. A., & MaF. (2018). Food and gastronomy research in tourism and hospitality: A bibliometric analysis. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 73, 64–74.
74.
OppermannM. (1995). Travel life cycle. Annals of Tourism Research, 22(3), 535–552.
75.
PanX., RasouliS., & TimmermansH. (2021). Investigating tourist destination choice: Effect of destination image from social network members. Tourism Management, 83, 104217.
76.
PantanoE., & ServidioR. (2011). An exploratory study of the role of pervasive environments for promotion of tourism destinations. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 2(1), 50–65.
77.
PawaskarR. P., & GoelM. (2016). Improving the efficacy of destination marketing strategies: A structural equation model for leisure travel. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 9(15), 1–11.
78.
PerdueR. R., & MengF. (2006). Understanding choice and rejection in destination consideration sets. Tourism Analysis, 11(6), 337–348.
79.
PestanaM. H., ParreiraA., & MoutinhoL. (2020). Motivations, emotions and satisfaction: The keys to a tourism destination choice. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 16, 100332.
80.
PhauI., ShankaT., & DhayanN. (2010). Destination image and choice intention of university student travellers to Mauritius. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 22, 758–764.
81.
PhauI., QuintalV., & ShankaT. (2014). Examining a consumption values theory approach of young tourists toward destination choice intentions. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, 8(2), 125–139.
82.
PizamA., JeongG. H., ReichelA., van BoemmelH., LussonJ. M., SteynbergL., State-CostacheO., VoloS., KroesbacherC., KucerovaJ., & MontmanyN. (2004). The relationship between risk-taking, sensation-seeking, and the tourist behavior of young adults: A cross-cultural study. Journal of Travel Research, 42(3), 251–260.
83.
Pröbstl-HaiderU., HaiderW., WirthV., & BeardmoreB. (2015). Will climate change increase the attractiveness of summer destinations in the European Alps? A survey of German tourists. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 11, 44–57.
84.
QiuR. T., MasieroL., & LiG. (2018). The psychological process of travel destination choice. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 35(6), 691–705.
85.
RuggD. (1973). The choice of journey destination: A theoretical and empirical analysis. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 55, 64–72.
86.
RuhanenL., WeilerB., MoyleB. D., & McLennanC. L. J. (2015). Trends and patterns in sustainable tourism research: A 25-year bibliometric analysis. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(4), 517–535.
87.
SaggeseS., SartoF., & CuccurulloC. (2016). Evolution of the debate on control enhancing mechanisms: A systematic review and bibliometric analysis. International Journal of Management Reviews, 18(4), 417–439.
88.
SaitoC. S., & StrehlauV. L. (2018). Tourist destination choice: A bibliometric study. Revista Eletrônica de Negócios Internacionais (Internext), 13(1), 17–31.
89.
SeddighiH. R., & TheocharousA. L. (2002). A model of tourism destination choice: A theoretical and empirical analysis. Tourism Management, 23(5), 475–487.
90.
SönmezS. F., & GraefeA. R. (1998). Influence of terrorism risk on foreign tourism decisions. Annals of Tourism Research, 25(1), 112–144.
91.
SirakayaE., McLellanR. W., & UysalM. (1996). Modeling vacation destination decisions: A behavioral approach. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 5(1–2), 57–75.
92.
SimmaA., SchlichR., & AxhausenK. W. (2002) Destination choice modelling for different leisure activities (Working Paper No. 99). Zurich: IVT, ETH Zurich.
93.
SinghS., & WaliaN. (2020). Momentum investing: A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis. Management Review Quarterly, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-020-00205-6
94.
SirakayaE., & WoodsideA. G. (2005). Building and testing theories of decision making by travellers. Tourism Management, 26(6), 815–832.
95.
SmallmanC., & MooreK. (2010). Process studies of tourists’ decision-making. Annals of Tourism Research, 37(2), 397–422.
96.
SteigerR., AbeggB., & JänickeL. (2016). Rain, rain, go away, come again another day. Weather preferences of summer tourists in mountain environments. Atmosphere, 7(5), 63.
97.
StreimikieneD., SvagzdieneB., JasinskasE., & SimanaviciusA. (2021). Sustainable tourism development and competitiveness: The systematic literature review. Sustainable Development, 29(1), 259–271.
98.
StewartS. I., & VogtC. A. (1997). Multi-destination trip patterns. Annals of Tourism Research, 24, 458–461.
99.
ThamA., MairJ., & CroyG. (2020). Social media influence on tourists’ destination choice: Importance of context. Tourism Recreation Research, 45(2), 161–75.
100.
ThieneM., SwaitJ., & ScarpaR. (2017). Choice set formation for outdoor destinations: The role of motivations and preference discrimination in site selection for the management of public expenditures on protected areas. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 81, 152–173.
101.
TideswellC., & FaulknerB. (1999). Multidestination travel patterns of international visitors to Queensland. Journal of Travel Research, 37(4), 364–374.
102.
TrivediJ., & RoziaM. I. T.IA. L.. (2019). The impact of social media communication on Indian consumers travel decisions. Journal of Communication: Media Watch, 18(5), 5–18.
103.
UmS., & CromptonJ. L. (1990). Attitude determinants in tourism destination choice. Annals of Tourism Research, 17(3), 432–448.
104.
UmS., & CromptonJ. L. (1991). Development of pleasure travel attitude dimensions. Annals of Tourism Research, 18(3), 500–504.
105.
UmS., & CromptonJ. L. (1992). The roles of perceived inhibitors and facilitators in pleasure travel destination decisions. Journal of Travel Research, 30(3), 18–25.
106.
WangC. H., & ChenS. C. (2014). Bibliometric and social network analysis for data mining: the intellectual structure of tourism destination literature. Journal of Testing and Evaluation, 42(1), 229–241.
107.
WoodsideA. G., & LysonskiS. (1989). A general model of traveler destination choice. Journal of travel Research, 27(4), 8–14.
108.
WoodsideA. G., & DubelaarC. (2002). A general theory of tourism consumption systems: A conceptual framework and an empirical exploration. Journal of Travel Research, 41(2), 120–132.
109.
WoodsideA., & MacDonaldR. (1994). General System Framework of Customer Choice Processes of Tourism Services. In GasserR. & WeiermairK. (Eds.), Spoilt for choice. decision making processes and preference change of tourists: intertemporal and intercountry perspectives (pp. 30–59). Kulturverlag.
110.
World Tourism and Travel Council. (2019). Travel & tourism economic impact 2019 world. https://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic-impact-research/regions-2019/world2019.pdf
111.
XuX., ChenX., JiaF., BrownS., GongY., & XuY. (2018). Supply chain finance: A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis. International Journal of Production Economics, 204, 160–173.
112.
YanX. Y., & ZhouT. (2019). Destination choice game: A spatial interaction theory on human mobility. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 1–9.
113.
YooC. K., YoonD., & ParkE. (2018). Tourist motivation: An integral approach to destination choices. Tourism Review, 73(2), 169–185.
114.
YuanY., GretzelU., & TsengY. H. (2015). Revealing the nature of contemporary tourism research: Extracting common subject areas through bibliographic coupling. International Journal of Tourism Research, 17(5), 417–431.
115.
YuzhaninS., & FisherD. (2016). The efficacy of the theory of planned behavior for predicting intentions to choose a travel destination: A review. Tourism Review, 71(2), 135–147.
116.
ZhuangX., LinL., & LiJ. (2019). Puri vs. Varanasi destinations: local residents’ perceptions, overall community satisfaction and support for tourism development. Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, 24(1), 127–142.
