Mapping smart tourism technologies in halal tourism: bibliometric evidence and thematic research gaps

  • Youmil Abrian 
    Faculty of Hospitality Management, Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia
    Indonesia
  • Yunia Wardi
    Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia
    Indonesia
  • Susi Evanita
    Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia
    Indonesia

Abstract

This study maps the intellectual structure and thematic development of smart tourism technologies in halal tourism, a field in which digital innovation increasingly intersects with Sharia-compliant service requirements but remains weakly synthesized. Using Scopus as the data source, publications from 2015 to 2024 were retrieved through a structured TITLE-ABS-KEY search string and screened using PRISMA procedures, resulting in 38 eligible publications from an initial 156 records. Bibliometric analysis was conducted using Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny and VOSviewer through performance analysis, source analysis, keyword co-occurrence, citation analysis, and network visualization. A systematic thematic synthesis was also conducted to identify dominant technologies, implementation issues, and research gaps. The findings show an annual publication growth rate of 34.59%, with Indonesia, China, and Malaysia appearing as the most visible contributors within the analyzed Scopus corpus. Keyword and thematic analyses indicate that Muslim tourist perceptions, sustainable tourism, IoT, halal tourism management, AI, and machine learning form the main research clusters. This study contributes by clarifying how smart tourism scholarship can be adapted to halal tourism contexts through digital halal verification, Muslim-friendly destination services, culturally sensitive technology adoption, and future research agendas on Sharia-compliant smart tourism ecosystems.

Keywords
  • Smart tourism technologies; Halal tourism; Bibliometric analysis; Systematic literature review; Muslim-friendly digital services
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