A systematic review of gamification research in hospitality and tourism

Purpose This study systematically reviews gamification research in tourism and hospitality (T&H) over the past decade (2015–2024) to assess research trends, synthesize findings, identify knowledge gaps and propose future directions. Design/methodology/approach Following PRISMA guidelines, this study systematically reviews 91 SSCI-indexed articles. It uses a theory-context-method (TCM) framework to map research characteristics and an enhanced antecedents-phenomena-outcomes (APO) framework to synthesize substantive findings. Findings The review identifies key antecedents (motivation, ability and opportunity), phenomena (game elements, affordances, forms and scenarios) and outcomes (psychological and behavioral) of T&H gamification. A comprehensive, multidimensional conceptual framework is developed, integrating these components to provide a holistic overview of the field. Nine future research propositions are presented based on this conceptual framework. Practical implications The multidimensional framework developed in this study offers T&H practitioners a complete understanding of which technologies can be adopted in various application scenarios and how gamification elements can be incorporated into the consumer experience. Originality/value This is the most recent systematic review addressing gamification across both tourism and hospitality sectors at the field’s 10-year milestone. The study integrates multiple robust frameworks to structure current understanding and proposes a comprehensive agenda for advancing gamification scholarship in T&H.