Components of Tourism Research: Evidence from Annals of Tourism Research

This study used an interdisciplinary approach to examine what tourism researchers have done by analyzing all full-length articles published in Annals of Tourism Research (ATR) from 1973 to 2006. During the study, the research topics of the included articles in ATR were identified using an interdisciplinary approach, and generated 20 research topic categories. The study also identified six categories of regional focus. After that, the research topics and regional focus of each included article were analyzed. Among the 20 research topics, Sociology and Cultural Issue was found as the most popular research category, which was followed by Psychology and Tourists Behavior Issue, Economics of Tourism, Resort Development and Planning, and Heritage and Environment Issue. Apparently, tourism research in ATR follows an interdisciplinary approach, and this approach is valued in the study and research of tourism.