A systematic review of scenario planning studies in tourism and hospitality research

Abstract

This study attempts to enlighten the status of scenario planning studies and their content through a systematic literature review. A search of major databases (Scopus and Web of Science) was performed to determine relevant articles. Fifty-seven articles were identified and analysed according to their categories, themes, topics, and methods-techniques. Based on the content analysis of studies, two main categories, including seven themes, were identified: internal complexity of tourism (tourism planning and development, tourism education, tourism demand forecasting, and tourism types), external uncertainties (climate change and green economy, health care and security, and social media impacts). Though not many studies found, the categories, themes, topics and, methods-techniques of scenario planning studies in tourism and hospitality varies. However, there is still a need for scenario planning studies in tourism and hospitality literature. In this vein, an important implication of this study is that much remains to be done in benefiting from the scenario planning approach to contribute crisis management knowledge in tourism and hospitality research.