Ecotourism in Mexico: A bibliometric analysis from 2002 to 2022

Ecotourism promotes the sustainability of culture and nature. Furthermore, it generates benefits at both global and local levels and its rise is due to the search for alternatives to the traditional mass tourism model. The objective of this study is to identify the trend of ecotourism research, its spatial distribution and gaps in the period 2002 to 2022 in Mexico to propose areas of research for its strengthening. From the scientific production indexed in the Web of Science database, descriptive and relational bibliometric techniques were used with Bibliometrix, Vosviewer and R software. A total of 285 articles published in 158 journals by 754 authors affiliated with 267 organizations from 20 countries were studied. An exponential growth model was fitted, revealing a continuous increase in publications on ecotourism that reflects sustained interest in this area. The scientific production in ecotourism was spatially located by federal entity, during the study period, along with a structural analysis. Most of the research is concentrated in the Yucatan and Baja California peninsulas, although the main research centers are in the capital of the country. Research topics in ecotourism in Mexico follow international trends, but there is limited cooperation with foreign universities. Thematic analysis of ecotourism suggests focusing efforts on developing more research in topics related to nature, community, and cultural tourism, as these are already established areas of study that can have a high impact on ecotourism. The research areas of ecotourism aptitude and economic valuation are sparsely explored, presenting significant opportunities for further study.