Tourism and Conservation Empowered by Augmented Reality: A Scientometric Analysis Based on the Science Tree Metaphor

Abstract

Technology has emerged as an essential tool that has revolutionized the conditions for travelers to fully immerse themselves in the culture, gastronomy, and recreation of the places they explore. This literature review aims to understand the crucial contributions currently shaping the implementation of augmented reality as an enriching technological support for user experiences in tourism and the conservation of natural heritage. While the literature on this topic is scattered across specialized databases, this review provides a unique opportunity for a deeper and more cohesive analysis. Employing the metaphor of the tree of science, we have developed two valuable approaches to the data collected during our bibliographic exploration. On the one hand, we have examined scientometric statistics related to the countries, authors, universities, and research and technological development centers that are at the forefront of creating innovative augmented reality-based applications to promote tourism and conservation. On the other hand, we have conducted an evolutionary analysis based on the tree of science to trace the origins of the most significant contributions and understand how they have evolved over time in this dynamic and ever-developing field.