Understanding the sustainable management of the complex adaptive tourism systems requires an integrated research approach that combines environmental processes with stakeholder behaviors. Agent-based modelling (ABM) has emerged as a pivotal tool for decoding the resilience, adaptability, and sustainability of tourism systems. However, the current application landscape, methodological limitations, and future research directions of ABM remain insufficiently synthesized, thereby constraining its full potential in advancing sustainable tourism management. This study examines 137 publications on the application of ABM in tourism research between 1989 and 2025, aiming to clarify the application characteristics and evolutionary trajectories. The results show the following: (1) ABM applications in tourism have become increasingly comprehensive and refined, evolving from simplistic simulations based on simplex agents and static spatial representations toward integrated models incorporating heterogeneous agents, fine-grained spatial environments, and multiple contextual factors. (2) Behavioral modeling has progressed from basic human–space interactions to complex, co-evolutionary dynamics among human, social, and ecological systems. (3) ABM applications exhibit context specificity: climate-sensitive scenarios emphasize resource dynamics and adaptation strategies; disaster-prone contexts focus on multi-agent responses and emergency management; conservation-oriented systems support sustainable policy development; and management-centric scenarios prioritize technological innovation and macro-level regulation. Future research should prioritize refining agent interactions through dynamic social network integration, incorporating cross-scale and long-distance system linkages, and strengthening the connection between theoretical modeling and real-world applications. This study would provide a comprehensive knowledge base for advancing the innovative application of ABM in sustainable tourism research and contribute to strengthening resilience, adaptive governance, and long-term sustainability within complex tourism systems.
Li et al. (Sat,) studied this question.