The study examines how research on community-based tourism (CBT) has developed and become connected with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Using bibliometric analysis, the authors reviewed 479 scholarly articles retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. The study mapped publication trends, influential authors and institutions, international collaboration networks, major research themes, and emerging directions within the field.

The findings reveal strong growth in CBT research and demonstrate its transition from a primarily development-oriented concept toward a broader, multidimensional sustainability framework. The study particularly highlights the importance of community-based tourism in promoting local empowerment, sustainable livelihoods, rural economic development, environmental conservation, social inclusion, and community resilience. It also identifies important opportunities for future research to evaluate the contribution of CBT to specific SDG targets through more systematic and evidence-based approaches.

Full Text: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/sd.71610