Systematic review analyzes nostalgia's impact on consumer behavior in tourism, highlighting research gaps and future directions.
This systematic review synthesizes two decades of nostalgia research in tourism and hospitality, analyzing 89 peer-reviewed articles through the Theory-Context-Characteristics-Method (TCCM) framework. The research reveals nostalgia's evolution from a psychological phenomenon to a strategic driver of consumer behavior, identifying four major research themes: nostalgia-driven consumer behavior, cultural heritage and authenticity, digital tourism innovation, and sports/entertainment-based experiences. Findings demonstrate that nostalgia significantly enhances customer satisfaction, loyalty, and behavioral intentions across diverse contexts, with the Stimulus-Organism-Response framework emerging as the dominant theoretical lens. The research exposes critical gaps including geographical concentration in Asian contexts, methodological overreliance on cross-sectional surveys, and limited exploration of nostalgia's negative dimensions. Future research directions emphasize developing dual-process theories, investigating vicarious nostalgia, employing longitudinal designs, and examining cross-cultural variations. This comprehensive analysis provides both theoretical advancement and practical guidance for leveraging nostalgia in sustainable tourism development.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Xu et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: