Smart Tourism Governance: A Scientometric Analysis of Government Roles

Smart tourism governance has become increasingly important as digital technologies reshape tourism management, public services, and destination development. However, existing studies have predominantly emphasized technological innovation, destination competitiveness, and tourist experiences, while the evolving administrative roles of government remain fragmented. This study aims to examine the intellectual development of smart tourism governance and map the evolving roles of government through a scientometric analysis. Data were retrieved from the Scopus database for the period 2015–2025 and analyzed using CiteSpace through co-citation, keyword co-occurrence, clustering, burst detection, and timeline visualization. A total of 132 publications were included in the final dataset. The findings identify five interconnected government roles: Regulator, Digital Infrastructure Provider, Network Coordinator, Data Steward, and Innovation Enabler. These roles operate through governance mechanisms involving policy integration, stakeholder collaboration, data governance, digital innovation, and institutional coordination. Based on these findings, the study proposes a Government-Centered Smart Tourism Governance Framework that conceptualizes government as a multidimensional governance actor rather than merely a regulator or stakeholder. The framework integrates insights from Collaborative Governance, Network Governance, Digital Governance, and Meta-Governance and demonstrates how government functions are connected to governance mechanisms and smart tourism outcomes. The study contributes to public administration by providing a conceptualization of how governmental authority and administrative functions are reorganized within technology-driven tourism governance.