Scientific research and emerging trends in alternative tourism and agrotourism

Objective: To map the scientific production on alternative tourism and agrotourism in databases like Scopus and Google Scholar during the 1991-2025 period. Design/methodology/approach: The bibliometric analysis of alternative tourism is essential to highlighting the trends and impact of this sector in both academic and practical settings. By studying scientific production, citations, and collaboration networks in this field, emerging research areas, knowledge gaps, and the most relevant topics of interest were identified. This study analyzes the scientific production on alternative tourism and agrotourism through a bibliometric approach, using tools such as VOSviewer and Scopus databases. Results: Significant growth in publications was identified since the 1970s. Alternative tourism promotes a positive impact on local development, environmental sustainability, and the cultural strengthening of rural communities. The bibliometric analysis identified 363 publications in Scopus, demonstrating academic interest in this field. Among the topics related to alternative tourism are sustainable development, climate change, and environmental impact, highlighting the need to integrate climate change as a transversal axis in tourism policies. Limitations on study/implications: The presence of agrotourism publications outside of Scopus limits knowing the exact value of scientific production during the 1991-2025 period. Findings/conclusions: Alternative tourism and agrotourism are key elements for the resilience and sustainable development of natural spaces.