ABSTRACT In the 21st century, rapid technological advancements and the impact of digitalization have led to transformations across all sectors, including tourism. The tourism sector has also been significantly affected by these changes. In this context, the concept of “smart tourism” has emerged, referring to the integration of next-generation technologies aimed at enhancing tourist experiences and facilitating service processes within tourism enterprises. This study aims to examine postgraduate theses on “smart tourism” through bibliometric analysis. A total of 35 theses published between 2018 and 2024 and listed in the Council of Higher Education Thesis Center were analyzed. The theses were examined under various categories, including distribution by year, distribution by university, academic level, research methods used, and frequency of keyword usage. The findings indicate that the topic of smart tourism has received increasing academic interest, particularly in recent years. The study also reveals that the highest number of theses was produced in 2023, the majority of the theses are at the master’s level, and Selçuk University stands out as a leading institution in this field. In conclusion, smart tourism is considered an emerging research area in Turkey, which is expected to gain greater academic and sectoral importance in the future. This analysis contributes to the literature by revealing the current academic knowledge on the topic and providing guidance for future research. Keywords: smart tourism, bibliometric analysis, technology, tourism
Çilesiz et al. (Tue,) studied this question.