Why Renewable Energy Matters for Sustainable Tourism: A Conceptual and Literature-Based Review from a Tourism Competitiveness Perspective

This study examines the role of renewable energy in the context of sustainable tourism through a conceptual and literature-based framework from a tourism competitiveness perspective. Although renewable energy has predominantly been discussed within the axis of environmental sustainability and ethical responsibility, this study highlights its strategic and competition-oriented dimensions for tourism destinations and businesses. The aim is to discuss the position of renewable energy within the tourism competitiveness literature and to explore how it can be evaluated within existing theoretical approaches. Methodologically, the study is based on a structured literature review and a conceptual analysis approach. In this context, classical and contemporary tourism competitiveness models are reconsidered from a renewable energy perspective, and the conceptual intersections between these two strands of literature are also examined. The literature assessment indicates that while renewable energy occupies a significant place in the sustainable tourism literature, its systematic and comprehensive integration into competitiveness frameworks remains limited. Accordingly, the study seeks to contribute to the reconsideration of renewable energy as a strategic element within tourism competitiveness debates and to provide a conceptual foundation for future empirical and policy-oriented research.