Sustainable Development Through Agritourism and Rural Tourism: Research Trends and Future Perspectives in the Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Period

Abstract

In the current global context, where rural sustainability and economic diversification of agricultural regions are becoming increasingly important, rural tourism and agritourism are emerging as key strategies for sustainable development. This study aims to conduct a scientometric analysis of research trends in rural tourism and agritourism during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods (2020–2024) by identifying dominant themes, relevant scientific contributors, and emerging directions related to sustainability and post-COVID-19 transformations. To carry out this analysis, 1915 papers indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection database were selected. Using VOSviewer software, co-citation networks, keyword co-occurrence, and international collaboration were generated and analyzed to identify thematic clusters and main research directions. The results highlight an increasing scientific interest in sustainable tourism models that integrate digitization, circular economy principles, and authentic rural experiences. The most frequently identified terms include ‘rural tourism’, ‘agritourism’, ‘sustainability’, and ‘COVID-19’, reflecting the field’s adaptation to recent global challenges. This study identifies major contributors (China, Italy, Spain, USA, Romania), key institutions, and gaps in the literature. Additionally, future research directions and practical implications are proposed for policymakers, rural entrepreneurs, and tourism promotion organizations.

1. Introduction

Contemporary tourism has become a complex socio-economic phenomenon, defined as the set of activities carried out by individuals who travel and temporarily stay outside their usual environment for purposes such as leisure, culture, business, or other goals, having a significant impact on the economy, society, and environment [1].

Tourism, one of the most dynamic global industries [2], has evolved from traditional forms of travel focused on cultural exploration and urban recreation to more specialized types of tourism tailored to society’s new demands. Sustainable development has become a central objective of global economic and social strategies, aiming to balance economic growth, environmental protection, and community [3] well-being. In this context, tourism plays an essential role, offering both economic opportunities and challenges related to its impact on natural and cultural resources [4].

Sustainable tourism models, such as rural tourism and agritourism, are increasingly promoted as alternatives to mass tourism. They have the potential to support regional development [5] by preserving natural and cultural heritage, stimulating the local economy, and reducing pressure on fragile ecosystems [6,7]. As the impact of mass tourism on the environment and local communities [8] becomes more apparent, attention has shifted to sustainable alternatives like rural tourism and agritourism [9], which promote authentic experiences in harmony with nature and local traditions.

Rural tourism and agritourism, though complementary, present essential conceptual differences. Rural tourism is a diversified form of tourism conducted in rural areas, including recreational, cultural, and local heritage exploration activities. Agritourism, on the other hand, focuses on activities closely tied to agriculture. Visitors directly interact with farms, participate in agricultural production processes (such as fruit picking or preparing local products), and experience authentic rural life [10]. On the other hand, agritourism involves the direct participation of visitors in agricultural activities and traditional food production, thus being a subcategory of rural tourism with a functional connection to agriculture [11]. Therefore, agritourism integrates the tourism experience into the agricultural cycle, playing a direct role in diversifying farmers’ incomes and preserving traditional agri-food practices. In the post-pandemic period, agritourism has experienced significant growth, being perceived as a safe and authentic form of tourism that contributes to the sustainable development of rural communities [12].

Rural tourism and agritourism are two closely related [13] concepts that significantly contribute to the economic diversification of rural areas and the sustainable development of agricultural communities. Although both forms of tourism take place in rural spaces [14] and capitalize on natural landscapes [15], traditions, and cultural heritage, they have distinct characteristics [16]. Rural tourism emerged in Europe in the 19th century [17], initially as an alternative to hectic [18] urban life, being promoted by social elites seeking refuge in rural environments. By the second half of the 20th century, it expanded as a solution for the economic revitalization of villages [19], especially in countries like France, Italy, and Spain [20].

Rural tourism is a broad concept that encompasses diverse tourist activities conducted in rural areas, such as cultural tourism, adventure tourism, ecotourism, and agritourism [21]. It involves accommodation in traditional guesthouses, interaction with local communities, and participation in outdoor recreational activities, such as hiking, wildlife observation, or visiting heritage sites [21].

Agritourism emerged as a distinct branch of rural tourism in the second half of the 20th century, initially in Italy through initiatives like “agriturismo” [22], as a response to the need for farmers to diversify their income and preserve agricultural [23] traditions. It later expanded across Europe and to other rural regions worldwide [24].

Agritourism, specifically, is closely tied to agricultural activities. It includes experiences such as farm visits [25], participation in seasonal agricultural activities (fruit picking, animal milking, artisanal food production), and tastings of traditional products [26]. While rural tourism and agritourism share many common characteristics, the key difference lies in the direct involvement of agricultural activities in the tourist experience in agritourism [27].

Thus, agritourism not only contributes to local economic development [28] by attracting tourists but also helps preserve and promote traditional agricultural practices. Both forms of tourism have significant implications for the natural environment, agriculture, and sustainable development [29], offering opportunities for biodiversity protection, conservation of rural landscapes, and supporting the circular economy [29,30].

In today’s globalized world, these forms of tourism are increasingly important, providing sustainable alternatives to mass tourism and meeting the demands of a society concerned with the ecological [31] and social impact of travel [32].

Amid major global agricultural challenges such as climate change, soil degradation, and the need to ensure food security for a growing population, agritourism and rural tourism become complementary solutions for the sustainability of rural areas. By integrating tourism activities [33] into farms and agricultural households, these forms of tourism contribute to diversifying farmers’ income [34], reducing dependency on monoculture [35], and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Additionally, they encourage the conservation of traditional agricultural landscapes and biodiversity, limiting land abandonment and rural depopulation.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted [36] the tourism industry, shifting traveler preferences and accelerating the transition to more sustainable and safer forms [37] of tourism. In this context, rural tourism and agritourism [38] experienced substantial growth, being perceived as viable alternatives to mass tourism [38] due to their ability to offer outdoor experiences, away from urban crowds. The post-pandemic period continued this trend, with increased interest in proximity tourism, authentic experiences, and the integration of digital technologies for promoting and managing rural tourism destinations [39].

Currently, global trends in agritourism and rural tourism are moving towards digitalization, sustainability, and circular economy [40] integration. The use of digital technologies, such as online booking platforms, virtual tours, and digital marketing solutions [41], facilitates tourists’ access to authentic experiences and promotes local initiatives. Additionally, the concepts of “smart farming” [42] and the implementation of organic farming [43] are increasingly associated with rural tourism, offering visitors the opportunity to learn about innovative sustainable farming methods [44]. Furthermore, the growing demand for local and organic products is driving the development of short supply chains [45], strengthening the connection between consumers and producers and supporting rural economies [46,47].

Thus, agritourism and rural tourism not only address current trends in responsible and sustainable travel but also offer a vital opportunity to revitalize rural agriculture in a way that supports environmental protection and long-term economic development.

Although there are studies that address individual aspects of rural tourism or agritourism, a rigorous analysis of how these contribute integrally to sustainable development in the pandemic and post-pandemic periods, from a scientometric perspective, is still limited. The only identified study that applies a similar methodology focuses exclusively on rural tourism, without analyzing the correlations with agritourism, sustainability, and the new strategic directions of European policies. Thus, this paper helps fill this gap by offering an original, interdisciplinary, and up-to-date approach, with both theoretical and practical relevance.

In recent decades, rural tourism and agritourism have become strategic instruments for the economic and social development of rural areas, encouraged through national and European policies. Documents such as the EU Strategy for Sustainable Tourism [48], The Common Agricultural Policy at a Glance [49], and The European Green Deal [50] highlight the role of these forms of tourism in achieving territorial cohesion, heritage conservation, and ecological transition objectives. In this context, a clear understanding of research directions in rural tourism and agritourism is essential for formulating coherent public policies and supporting rural entrepreneurship in the post-pandemic era.

In this framework, the present study aims to map the scientific landscape of research dedicated to agritourism and rural tourism, analyzing trends, emerging themes, and future research directions. Using a scientometric approach, based on bibliometric analysis and the visualization of co-citation and international collaboration networks with the help of VOSviewer software, this paper investigates academic interest in the field and its connections with the economic and ecological aspects of sustainability. The results will contribute to understanding how rural tourism and agritourism can become effective tools for the sustainable development of agricultural communities and rural areas. In this context, the aim of this paper is to conduct a scientometric analysis of the scientific literature on rural tourism and agritourism during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods. The analysis is guided by three fundamental directions:

• Identifying dominant themes—exploring the main topics addressed in recent research.
• Highlighting key contributors—examining authors, institutions, and countries that have made significant contributions to the field.
• Outlining emerging directions—investigating trends related to sustainability and post-COVID transformations.

These objectives have been formulated in response to the need to understand how scientific research in rural tourism and agritourism has evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent transformations. The field has seen a significant shift in academic interest towards sustainability, rural resilience, and digitalization, which justifies a focused analysis of the literature published between 2020 and 2024.

2. Materials and Methods

This section details the scientometric approaches used to analyze the specialized literature on sustainable development through agritourism and rural tourism during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods. The primary goal of this endeavor is to identify emerging trends, highlight key research characteristics in this field, and establish future directions for investigation. Since rural tourism and agritourism have gained significant importance in the context of sustainable development, a rigorous evaluation of the academic literature is essential to understand the dynamics of this sector and its implications for rural economies, environmental protection, and post-pandemic recovery strategies. It should be emphasized that, within the analyzed period, no comparable study addressing this topic from a scientometric perspective was identified, underlining the innovative nature of this research.

Scientometric analysis plays a crucial role in clarifying research trajectories and identifying key future study directions by applying relevant bibliometric indicators. This approach not only measures the impact of research on the scientific community but also highlights international collaboration networks, the geographical distribution of studies, and the main journals and influential authors in the field.

The methodological innovation of this analysis lies in the application of bibliometrics [51], which provides a quantitative and objective framework for examining the evolution of the field. The use of advanced scientometric tools allows for the integration of quantitative variables [52], such as the frequency of publication over time, citation relationships between authors, and analysis of collaboration networks among institutions [53]. At the same time, qualitative filters are applied to analyze dominant research themes, relevant keywords, and the most impactful scientific journals, facilitating the identification of major study directions and the evolution of key concepts in the specialized literature [54].

By combining these methods [55], this study aims to highlight the structure and dynamics of academic research on sustainable development through agritourism and rural tourism, providing a clear picture of progress made and future opportunities for scientific exploration.

Scientometrics is defined as the quantitative study of the evolution of science, playing an essential role in evaluating research impact and analyzing citation relationships to map knowledge domains and identify emerging directions. It enables an understanding of how scientific fields evolve by measuring academic performance indicators, such as the number of publications, citation frequency, and geographical distribution of research. Bibliometrics, as a subfield of scientometrics, focuses on applying mathematical and statistical methodologies to the written literature, analyzing aspects such as citation density, author collaborations, and the influence of scientific journals [56]. Simultaneously, scientometrics focuses on the quantitative dimension of scientific activity, providing an objective perspective on the impact and relevance of research in various fields.

This scientometric review primarily aims to analyze publishing patterns, citation networks, co-authorship, and research productivity, providing valuable insights into current trends, influential works, and the evolution of knowledge in the field of sustainable development through agritourism and rural tourism during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods. By applying specific bibliometric analysis methods, this study contributes to understanding how these topics have been addressed in the scientific literature and highlights gaps that require future investigation [51].

The methodology adopted for this research encompassed several essential stages. First, an investigation design phase was conducted, during which the study objectives and data collection strategies were established. This was followed by an information-gathering phase, querying recognized academic databases using search terms relevant to the analyzed field. After collecting and organizing the data, a detailed bibliometric analysis was performed. This included measuring various scientific impact indicators, mapping collaboration networks, and identifying key journals and influential authors. The results were interpreted in relation to global trends in the specialized literature, and collaboration network mapping enabled the visualization of connections between institutions and authors, thereby facilitating a deeper understanding of the dynamics within the studied field.

The bibliometric analysis was based on documents extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection (Clarivate Analytics) and Scopus (Elsevier). The query process included an extensive selection of internationally recognized indices, such as the Science Citation Index (SCI), Social Science Citation Index (SSCI), Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Conference Proceedings Citation Index (CPCI), Book Citation Index (BKCI), Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Current Chemical Reactions (CCR), and Index Chemicus (IC).

This retrospective scientometric analysis aims to investigate the characteristics and global trends of publications related to sustainable development through agritourism and rural tourism during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods, 2020–2024. This study evaluates essential factors such as the year of publication, author affiliation, country of origin of researchers, number of citations, keywords, and the type of journals in which these works were published.

For data collection, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar were used (

Table 1. Results of parameter search in databases.

Parameters	WoS	Scopus	Google Scholar
Range	2020–2024
Date	31 Ianuarie 2025
Document Type	Article, book, book chapter, review article, conference proceedings, abstract
Words	agritourism, rural tourism, agro tourism, agro-tourism, agrotourism, farm tourism, sustainable development
Results	1915	1499	14,100

Source: Author’s processing.

). The data collection period spanned 1 January 2020, to 31 December 2024, covering a five-year interval. To perform the initial search, we used the following English-language terms in various combinations: “rural tourism”, “agritourism”, “agro-tourism”, “farm tourism”, “sustainable development”, and “scientometric analysis”. These terms were selected based on their recurrence in the relevant literature and their indexing in academic databases. The spelling variations of “agritourism” (e.g., “agro tourism”, “agrotourism”) were included to ensure a comprehensive search across disciplines and publication standards. Additionally, to ensure a comprehensive coverage of the relevant literature, the bibliographic references of the selected works were analyzed to identify additional studies of interest. All articles included in the analysis were fully evaluated, encompassing both scientific publications and abstracts presented at academic conferences.

In the scientometric analysis, we followed a series of methodological steps to investigate the structure and evolution of research on sustainable development through agritourism and rural tourism during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods.

The first step involved verifying the existence of similar studies that addressed this topic from a scientometric perspective. To achieve this, we conducted searches using the combination of terms “agritourism, rural tourism, agro tourism, agro-tourism, agrotourism, farm tourism, sustainable development, and scientometric analysis” in the three major databases: Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. The results indicated the existence of only one study [57] published in 2022, which mainly focused on rural tourism without thoroughly analyzing the connection between agritourism, rural tourism, and sustainable development in the pandemic and post-pandemic contexts.

Subsequently, a detailed collection of data was performed regarding publication volume, citations, and co-citations associated with this field. Querying the Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases with the search terms “agritourism, rural tourism, agro tourism, agro-tourism, agrotourism, farm tourism, sustainable development” yielded 14,100 works in Google Scholar, 1499 works in Scopus, and 1915 works in Web of Science. Considering the strict indexing criteria and publication relevance, the scientometric analysis was exclusively focused on works indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection (Figure 1). For the scientometric analysis, data were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection through an advanced search. The export included fields such as title, keywords, abstract, authors, and cited references. These data were processed using VOSviewer (version 1.6.20), applying the full counting method and a minimum occurrence threshold for including terms in networks.

The analysis was guided by three central questions:

What are the dominant themes in the literature on rural tourism and agritourism in the post-2020 period?

Who are the main scientific contributors (authors, institutions, countries)?

What emerging directions can be identified regarding sustainability and post-pandemic transformations?

Co-occurrence, co-authorship, and co-citation networks were interpreted to highlight thematic trends, international collaborations, and anchoring in the specialized literature. The research design is summarized in Figure 1, which illustrates the main stages of data selection, refinement, and scientometric analysis using VOSviewer.

The exploration of research directions focused on identifying key themes of interest by analyzing the most cited works. Simultaneously, the contributions of the most influential authors and institutions, as well as the geographical distribution of research, were evaluated to determine the countries with the highest involvement in this field. This process highlighted the dominant trends and existing gaps in the specialized literature.

For this scientometric analysis, the Web of Science Core Collection (Clarivate Analytics) database was exclusively used, as it provides a high level of metadata standardization and a rigorous selection of indexed publications. The choice of this database was motivated by the superior quality of available data for co-citation, co-occurrence, and international collaboration analysis, compared to other sources.

Web of Science is frequently used in scientometric studies due to its ability to provide detailed and internationally comparable information regarding authors, affiliations, keywords, and cited references. The exclusive use of the Web of Science database was justified by its rigorous indexing standards, consistency, and quality of metadata, and optimal compatibility with the VOSviewer software. Although Scopus and Google Scholar were explored during the preliminary search phase, they were excluded from the final scientometric analysis. Google Scholar includes non-peer-reviewed content and lacks structured metadata, while Scopus often overlaps with Web of Science and may introduce redundant records. For these reasons, Web of Science was selected as the most robust and reliable source for this study.

To visualize the domain structure and collaboration networks, we used VOSviewer software (version 1.6.20), a powerful bibliometric analysis tool. It was employed to aggregate data on citation numbers, the temporal distribution of publications, relevant academic journals, the most impactful authors, and nations and organizations with significant contributions. Additionally, network maps were generated based on co-citation relationships and keyword co-occurrence analysis, providing a clear depiction of emerging trends.

The implementation of VOSviewer also enabled the assessment of interaction intensity between authors, affiliations, and nations, highlighting connections between researchers from different regions. This approach facilitated an in-depth understanding of how studies on agritourism, rural tourism, and sustainable development have evolved during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods, offering a clear perspective on key research directions and future opportunities.

3. Results

3.1. Annual Outputs During the Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Periods

Within the scientometric analysis of agritourism and rural tourism, a crucial aspect is the investigation of the dynamics of scientific production and the academic impact of this field. The evolution in the number of publications and associated citations provides a clear perspective on the increasing academic interest and relevance of this topic in the specialized literature.

The graph in Figure 2 reflects trends regarding scientific production and citations during the 2020–2024 period. A significant increase in citation numbers compared to previous years can be observed, suggesting growing visibility and academic impact of research in this domain. In 2020, the number of citations was only 252, but this figure consistently rose, reaching 5410 in 2024. This growth highlights the exponential rise in academic interest in rural tourism and agritourism, confirming their importance in the context of sustainable development.

In terms of the number of publications, there is a noticeable upward trend between 2020 and 2022, followed by a slight decline in 2023 and 2024. From 325 publications in 2020, the number increased to 461 in 2022, suggesting intensified research activity during the pandemic. However, in 2023 and 2024, the number of publications slightly decreased to 373 and 366, respectively. This decline may be attributed to the field reaching a level of maturity where foundational studies have already been completed, and research is now shifting towards more specialized directions.

The growing academic interest in rural tourism and agritourism can be correlated with the changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, which reshaped tourism preferences towards sustainable alternatives and outdoor experiences. As a result, the development of this field was driven by the need to rethink economic and tourism models, which stimulated intense scientific activity. The results presented in the graph confirm this trend, highlighting the fact that the pandemic period acted as a catalyst for research in rural tourism and agritourism.

The ratio between the number of publications and citations is particularly relevant. Although the number of publications peaked in 2022, their impact continued to grow in subsequent years, indicating that works published during this period had a significant influence on the development of the field. This trend can be explained by the increased visibility of the research and the solidification of fundamental study directions for rural tourism and agritourism.

Moreover, this upward trend can be explained by a series of converging factors. First, the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent effects led to a shift in interest towards proximity-based and nature-based tourism, where rural tourism and agritourism were perceived as safer, more sustainable, and authentic alternatives.

Second, the strategic orientation of national and international public policies regarding sustainable development and support for rural areas has stimulated funding and applied research in this field, helping to establish rural tourism and agritourism as priority study areas.

Additionally, the accelerated digitalization of rural tourism services has contributed to increased visibility, accessibility, and diversification of offerings, while also attracting academic interest.

Finally, the economic and social impact of tourism in rural communities has become an increasingly analyzed topic, leading to the expansion and consolidation of the field as a strategic research area.

When correlating the data from the graph with the results of scientometric visualizations, it can be observed that the most impactful studies address topics such as integrating rural tourism into sustainable development strategies, using digital technologies to promote rural destinations, and implementing economic models based on the circular economy. These results suggest that while the number of publications slightly decreased in recent years, their impact continues to rise, reflecting the consolidation of the field in the specialized literature. This evolution underscores the need for an interdisciplinary approach and research directions that support the integration of rural tourism into global sustainable development strategies.

The most active 10 regions, 10 research areas, and 10 organizations involved in this field are enumerated in

Table 2. Most active regions, research areas, and publication organizations.

WoS
1915 Publications
Affiliations	Number of Publications	% of Total
UNIVERSIDAD DE EXTREMADURA	42
UNIVERSITY OF AGRONOMIC SCIENCE VETERINARY MEDICINE BUCHAREST	23	1.201
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SCIENCE OF UKRAINE	22	1.149
SUN YAT SEN UNIVERSITY	19	0.992
UNIVERSIDADE DE AVEIRO	19	0.992
NANKAI UNIVERSITY	18	0.940
UNIVERSITY OF KRAGUJEVAC	17	0.888
CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES	16	0.836
UNIVERSITY OF CRAIOVA ROMANIA	16	0.836
UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG	16	0.836
Countries/Regions
PEOPLES R CHINA	640	33.420
SPAIN	191	9.974
USA	107	5.587
ROMANIA	101	5.274
ITALY	94	4.909
INDONESIA	87	4.543
PORTUGAL	79	4.125
SERBIA	58	3.029
ENGLAND	55	2.872
MALAYSIA	54	2.820
Research Areas
SOCIAL SCIENCES OTHER TOPICS	583	30.444
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ECOLOGY	510	26.632
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY OTHER TOPICS	407	21.253
BUSINESS ECONOMICS	254	13.264
AGRICULTURE	197	10.287
GEOGRAPHY	104	5.431
COMPUTER SCIENCE	88	4.595
ENGINEERING	74	3.864
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION	51	2.663
DEVELOPMENT STUDIES	48	2.507
Languages
ENGLISH	1799	93.943
SPANISH	87	4.543
PORTUGUESE	20	1.044
TURKISH	2	0.104
CHINESE	1	0.052
CROATIAN	1	0.052
HUNGARIAN	1	0.052
MALAY	1	0.052
RUSSIAN	1	0.052
UKRAINIAN	1	0.052

Source: authors’ processing according to https://www.webofscience.com/ (accessed on 12 March 2025).

.

The analysis of research in the field of agritourism and rural tourism during the 2020–2024 period, based on the 1915 works indexed in Web of Science, highlights a diverse academic landscape supported by 200 institutions, with authors from 103 countries, covering 73 research areas. These studies were written in 10 languages, reflecting the international and multidisciplinary nature of this research field.

From an institutional perspective, the most active universities in this area are Universidad de Extremadura (Spain) with 42 publications (2.19%), University of Agronomic Science and Veterinary Medicine Bucharest (Romania) with 23 publications (1.20%), and the Ministry of Education Science of Ukraine with 22 works (1.15%). These figures suggest that while research is globally distributed, certain universities and institutions significantly advance knowledge in this field.

Regarding the geographical distribution of research, China leads significantly, with 640 publications (33.42%), followed by Spain (191 works, 9.97%), the USA (107 works, 5.59%), Romania (101 works, 5.27%), and Italy (94 works, 4.91%). These numbers demonstrate that rural tourism and agritourism are topics of interest not only in Europe but also in Asia and North America, where concerns regarding rural sustainability and economic diversification of agricultural communities are prominent.

Thematically, the main research areas include social sciences (30.44%), environmental sciences and ecology (26.63%), technology and applied sciences (21.25%), business and economics (13.26%), and agriculture (10.28%). These data reflect the multidisciplinary approach of the research, suggesting strong connections between rural tourism and the economic, environmental, and social aspects of sustainable development.

In terms of publication language, the vast majority are written in English (93.94%), followed by Spanish (4.54%) and Portuguese (1.04%). Works in Turkish, Chinese, Croatian, Hungarian, Malay, Russian, and Ukrainian (each under 0.1%) further confirm the global dimension of the research, while English remains the dominant standard for disseminating scientific results.

This detailed analysis demonstrates that rural tourism and agritourism represent dynamic fields of study, with significant growth in academic interest during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods. Given the wide range of topics covered and the involvement of numerous countries and institutions, the research highlights the importance of rural tourism as a viable solution for the sustainable development of agricultural communities and the protection of natural and cultural heritage.

3.2. Keywords

An essential component of this scientometric analysis is identifying major research themes through the analysis of the co-occurrence of author keywords. This method highlights the central concepts in the specialized literature and identifies relationships between them. Using VOSviewer software, a network map was generated to illustrate the frequency and interconnection of the most utilized terms in publications indexed in Web of Science.

The co-occurrence analysis of keywords conducted with VOSviewer provides a detailed perspective on the main research themes and their relationships in the scientific literature on rural tourism and agritourism. This type of analysis allows for the identification of links between frequently used concepts, helping to outline dominant research directions and emerging aspects.

For the generation of the co-occurrence map, the full counting method was applied, with the unit of analysis represented by author keywords. The minimum occurrence threshold for a keyword was set to 3, which allowed for the selection of a relevant subset out of a total of 5049 initial terms. As a result, 438 keywords met the frequency criterion and were included in the analysis.

Regarding the structure of the generated network, it includes 438 nodes (keywords), grouped into several thematic clusters and interconnected through a significant number of links, indicating the strength of associations between terms. Each cluster represents a distinct research direction, highlighting dominant areas of interest within the field.

The list of the most frequently used keywords reflects the main topics investigated in the scientific literature. The most frequently occurring term is “rural tourism”, with 691 occurrences and a total link strength of 1181, underscoring the importance of this concept in the field. Other relevant keywords, along with their frequencies and link strengths, will be presented in

Table 3. Keyword occurrence and links.

Keyword	Occurrences	Total Link Strength
Rural tourism	691	1181
Tourism	145	303
Agritourism	113	249
Sustainable development	104	228
Sustainability	84	210
Sustainable tourism	81	191
Rural development	79	174
China	61	132
COVID-19	55	125
Agrotourism	42	77
Ecotourism	28	72
Entrepreneurship	28	72
Farm tourism	34	71
Innovation	24	67
Rural areas	33	66
Satisfaction	25	66
Agriculture	23	63
Development	24	61

Source: authors’ processing according to https://www.webofscience.com/ (accessed on 12 March 2025) and VOSviewer.

.

The co-occurrence visualization reveals a dense network map, where each node (keyword) is represented by a circle whose size reflects the frequency of its usage. The lines between nodes indicate the connections between concepts, with their thickness signaling the strength of the relationship between terms. The more often two terms appear together in the scientific literature, the closer they are on the map and the stronger their connections.

The colors used in the visualization denote the grouping of terms into distinct thematic clusters, each representing a specific subdomain of research. Among the most important identified clusters are those outlined in

Table 4. The most important identified clusters.

Cluster	Keywords
Cluster	Rural tourism, sustainability, sustainable development
Rural tourism and sustainable development	COVID-19, tourism resilience, crisis management
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural tourism	Ecotourism, environmental impact, biodiversity
Eco-tourism and environmental conservation	Smart tourism, digital marketing, innovation
Innovation and digitalization in tourism	Entrepreneurship, local economy, farm tourism

Source: authors’ processing according to https://www.webofscience.com/ (accessed on 15 March 2025) and VOSviewer.

.

This analysis highlights the strong connections between research focused on rural tourism and the economic, social, and environmental factors influencing its development during the 2020–2024 period.

Figure 3 highlights the co-occurrence network of keywords in the literature dedicated to rural tourism and agritourism during the period 2020–2024, offering a clear picture of the dominant research directions: sustainability, digitalization, the impact of the pandemic, and authentic experiences. The size of the nodes underscores the frequency of terms such as ‘rural tourism’, ‘agritourism’, ‘sustainable development’, and ‘COVID-19’, while the links between them reflect thematic connections between subfields. The structure of the colored clusters reveals the progressive specialization of research: from general approaches to sustainable development in tourism to newer subjects such as ‘smart tourism’ or ‘farm experience.’ Thus, the figure visually synthesizes academic transformations and emphasizes the convergence between European green transition policies, digitalization, and local strategies for revitalizing rural areas through tourism.

The dominance of terms such as sustainability, rural development, and agritourism underscores a strong focus on integrating sustainable practices into rural tourism development strategies. Simultaneously, the presence of terms related to innovation and digitalization highlights an emerging research direction that examines the impact of new technologies on rural tourism.

The co-occurrence network analysis of keywords generated four main clusters, each corresponding to a distinct thematic direction in the specialized literature.

• Cluster 1 (Red) focuses on the concepts of “sustainable tourism”, “rural development”, and “agritourism”, reflecting research centered on the role of rural tourism in sustainable development and the economic diversification of rural areas.
• Cluster 2 (Green) includes terms such as “COVID-19”, “risk perception”, and “health tourism”, indicating concerns about the pandemic’s impact on tourist behavior and the adaptation of tourism offerings to new safety requirements.
• Cluster 3 (Blue) contains terms like “digitalization”, “smart tourism”, and “technology acceptance”, suggesting the emerging trend of digitalization in rural tourism, including promotion, booking systems, and destination management.
• Cluster 4 (Yellow) consists of terms such as “local food”, “farm experience”, and “authenticity”, highlighting the interest in authentic agritourism experiences connected to local culture and production.

Each of these clusters showcases both established themes and emerging directions in rural tourism and agritourism research, providing a clear overview of the field’s structure and recent research priorities.

The analysis of the co-occurrence map provides a solid foundation for identifying current trends in rural tourism research and anticipating future investigative directions. The results indicate a growing interest in sustainable development and the adaptation of rural tourism to global challenges, including those triggered by climate change, economic transformations, and the pandemic period.

The interpretation of scientometric networks of co-occurrence and collaboration was deepened by correlating the identified themes with key theoretical directions and public policies in the field of sustainable rural development.

For example, the cluster formed around the terms “rural development”, “sustainability”, and “entrepreneurship” reflects research interest in integrating rural tourism and agritourism into European cohesion strategies and post-pandemic economic recovery, in line with the sustainability objectives promoted by The European Green Deal [50] and the priorities outlined in The Common Agricultural Policy at a Glance [49].

These policies promote the diversification of rural activities, innovation in agriculture, and the conservation of natural heritage, themes that are recurrently found in the analyzed literature.

Figure 4 provides a visual synthesis of the most frequently used terms in the analyzed specialized literature, highlighting the central concept of ‘rural tourism’, followed by terms such as ‘agritourism’, ‘sustainability’, ‘COVID-19’, ‘digitalization’, and ‘local food’. The size of the words reflects the frequency of their appearance, while their distribution suggests a thematic focus on sustainability, post-pandemic adaptation, and authentic experiences. This word cloud representation enables the rapid identification of dominant concepts and offers an intuitive view of major research directions, complementing the co-occurrence network map with a synthetic and accessible perspective. Moreover, the consistent presence of terms related to technology, tourist perceptions, and rural economy supports the conclusion that agritourism is becoming a tool for transition toward an integrated sustainable development model.

3.3. Co-Authorship Analysis by Country in Rural Tourism and Agritourism Research

The co-authorship analysis at the country level is a scientometric method used to examine international collaborations in research. It allows for the identification of key research centers, relationships between countries, and the impact of collaborations on scientific visibility and influence [58].

This analysis considered 1915 works indexed in Web of Science during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods (2020–2024), focusing on rural tourism, agritourism, sustainable development, and their agricultural impact. This approach provides insight into how international research has concentrated on these topics and identifies the countries making the most significant contributions.

The Co-Authorship Analysis—Country aims to examine international collaborations among countries publishing in the field of rural tourism and agritourism [59]. The counting was performed using the Full Counting method, meaning that every co-authoring country of a publication is fully counted. A filter was applied to exclude documents with an unusually high number of co-authoring countries (over 25) to avoid distortions caused by exceptionally large international authorship. A country had to contribute to at least three publications to be included. No minimum citation threshold was imposed, meaning all countries with at least three works were analyzed, regardless of their citation impact. Of the 103 identified countries, 82 met these criteria, reflecting a high degree of international diversity in scientific collaborations on rural tourism and agritourism. Among these, 79 countries established connections through co-authorship, each demonstrating different levels of collaboration with other states. This selection provides a comprehensive view of the global research network, identifying both the top-producing scientific nations and those playing key roles in forming collaborations.

China stands out as the primary contributor to rural tourism and agritourism research, with 640 publications, 5032 citations, and a total link strength of 207. This high volume of scientific output suggests a strategic interest in integrating rural tourism into the country’s sustainable development and agricultural policies.

The United States ranks second, with 107 publications, 1312 citations, and a total link strength of 101, reflecting a significant contribution to international research in this field.

England maintains an active role with 55 publications, 610 citations, and a collaboration strength of 70.

Spain demonstrates strong involvement with 191 publications, 1541 citations, and a total link strength of 66, emphasizing its focus on rural tourism and sustainable development studies.

Italy contributes 94 publications, 1021 citations, and a link strength of 57. Meanwhile, Malaysia displays notable interest with 54 publications, 323 citations, and a collaboration strength of 63.

Australia (40 publications, 486 citations) and India (46 publications, 443 citations) round out the list of countries with significant activity in the field.

Romania registers a comparable number of publications and citations to other influential European countries, strengthening its presence in the international research network.

Overall, international collaborations in this field involve 79 countries connected through co-authorship. These interactions are structured into 11 thematic clusters, each representing groups of frequently collaborating states. The total number of connections established between countries is 361, reflecting a high degree of interconnectedness. The total link strength reaches 788, indicating the intensity and scope of transnational collaborations.

Figure 5 highlights the map of international collaborations in the field of rural tourism and agritourism, emphasizing the central role of China as the main center of scientific production and a key node in the global network. Solid and frequent partnerships are observed between countries such as the United States, Spain, Italy, Malaysia, and Romania, indicating a high level of internationalization of research in this field. The thematic groupings of states suggest the existence of regional scientific ecosystems contributing to the consolidation of an interdisciplinary framework, in which rural tourism is investigated in connection with sustainable agriculture, public policies, and territorial development. This visual representation provides a clear perspective on the intensity of collaborations and how transnational expertise influences the evolution of knowledge in the field, especially during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods.

The analysis of international collaborations highlights China as the central hub of research, leading with the highest activity and establishing extensive partnerships with various states. Both the United States and Spain also emerge as major research centers, characterized by a significant number of international collaborations. Meanwhile, Italy, Malaysia, and Romania are key regional hubs actively involved in research networks across Europe and Asia. The thematic clustering of countries engaged in frequent collaborations suggests well-established strategic partnerships that contribute to the development and diversification of rural tourism and agritourism studies on a global scale.

The country-level co-authorship analysis demonstrates significant international engagement in rural tourism and agritourism research. China dominates in terms of both publication output and collaboration strength, followed by the U.S., England, and Spain. Europe presents a well-defined collaborative ecosystem, with countries such as Italy, Romania, and Portugal playing an active role in transnational partnerships.

The increase in the number of publications and international collaborations during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods reflects heightened attention to the impact of rural tourism and agritourism on sustainable development and agricultural economies. This trend points to future research directions that could delve deeper into the relationships between rural tourism, environmental sustainability, and global economic policies.

3.4. Co-Occurrence Analysis

Co-occurrence analysis focuses on identifying how frequently two or more entities appear together in a dataset, thereby highlighting their relationships and associations. This method relies on a co-occurrence matrix, where each entity is placed on both the horizontal and vertical axes, and the intersection points indicate the frequency of simultaneous appearances. In bibliometrics, this technique is applied to analyze the connections between scientific works that are jointly cited in another publication, helping to uncover thematic clusters and emerging research directions.

In the past two decades, co-occurrence analysis methods have significantly evolved, benefiting from technological advancements and improved bibliometric databases. Web of Science provides an additional tool through “KeyWords Plus”, a set of terms and phrases automatically extracted from the titles of cited references. These terms broaden the research perspective, facilitate interdisciplinary connections, and highlight knowledge structures emerging in the scientific literature. Unlike author-chosen keywords, “KeyWords Plus” offers a more detailed description of an article’s content, allowing for quicker detection of emerging trends.

In co-occurrence maps, each node represents a keyword, with its size proportional to the frequency of the term’s occurrence in the analyzed dataset. The larger the node, the more frequently the associated keyword appears in the specialized literature. The links between nodes represent co-occurrence relationships, and their thickness indicates the intensity of the association between terms. The colors of the nodes and resulting clusters reflect thematic groupings of frequently co-occurring terms, delineating distinct research subdomains and directions. This methodology provides a detailed perspective on how concepts are interconnected in the specialized literature, contributing to a deeper understanding of the field’s evolution and emerging areas of interest (Figure 6).

The co-occurrence analysis was conducted on the 1915 works indexed in Web of Science during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods, aiming to identify the main research themes in rural tourism, agritourism, sustainable development, and their significance for agriculture. By using “KeyWords Plus”, automatically extracted from the titles of cited references, a broader perspective on the knowledge structure and emerging trends [60,61] was achieved. In the co-occurrence network analysis of keywords, a minimum threshold of three occurrences was applied for including terms in the visualization generated using VOSviewer software (version 1.6.20). This threshold was selected to maintain an optimal balance between concept relevance and the complexity of the resulting network.

Through this approach, marginal or isolated terms were eliminated, while still preserving the ability to identify emerging or less frequent themes, which may offer new research directions in the field of rural tourism and agritourism.

The initial dataset contained 2022 keywords, of which 478 met the minimum threshold of three occurrences. This selection allowed for a clearer representation of relevant terms and their relationships. Subsequently, the co-occurrence network analysis revealed 478 unique terms, organized into 13 thematic clusters, with a total of 10,562 connections between terms and an overall link strength of 17,119.

The most frequently used term, “rural tourism”, appeared 354 times and had a total link strength of 1609, indicating its central role in the literature. Other significant terms included: “Management”: 148 occurrences, 826 connections; “Perceptions”: 113 occurrences, 653 connections; “Satisfaction”: 98 occurrences, 602 connections; “Sustainable tourism”: 50 occurrences, 306 connections. These terms reflect researchers’ focus on managing rural tourism, understanding visitor perceptions, ensuring satisfaction, and incorporating sustainability principles.

The color-coded clusters illustrate thematic groups of terms, suggesting distinct subdomains such as: Sustainable development, Visitor satisfaction, Economic impact, and Tourism service quality.

This analysis emphasizes significant academic interest in rural tourism and its intersections with sustainable development and agriculture. It also underscores the emergence of themes such as the social impact of rural tourism, digitalization, and ecological sustainability, pointing to future research opportunities and policy development aimed at leveraging rural tourism for sustainable community and agricultural growth.

3.5. Citation Analysis

Citation analysis focuses on the relationships between articles and authors, highlighting collaborations and academic influence in the field [62]. Using VOSviewer, connections between scientific works were identified and visualized based on the frequency of common citations, providing insights into the most influential studies and emerging research directions. Citation maps uncover thought leaders, thematic links between authors, and collaborative structures, offering an understanding of how knowledge evolves and disseminates within the analyzed domain. Citation analysis provides an essential perspective on the scientific influence and relevance of published works in rural tourism, agritourism, sustainable development, and agriculture. It identifies the most cited studies, networks of knowledge, and connections among researchers and institutions. Citations reflect a work’s impact within the scientific community and help to understand how research trends take shape in this field.

The analysis focused on citation networks at the country level, including 103 countries, all meeting the minimum occurrence criterion in the analyzed corpus. These countries formed a complex citation network comprising 94 nodes (countries), organized into 13 thematic clusters. Among the most cited countries, China leads with 5032 citations and 640 works, affirming its dominant position in rural tourism and sustainable development research. Spain follows with 1541 citations and 191 works. The United States, with 1312 citations and 107 works, stands out as another significant academic hub. Italy (1021 citations), Portugal (750 citations), and Romania (584 citations) also demonstrate a notable presence in the international research network. This analysis highlights the dominant academic influence of specific countries and their strong collaborative networks. It underscores China’s strategic focus on integrating rural tourism into sustainability efforts, while Spain, the U.S., and European countries actively contribute to the domain’s advancement.

Figure 7 visually synthesizes the citation network among relevant works in rural tourism and agritourism, highlighting the academic contributions with the greatest impact and the thematic connections between them. The resulting clusters show that the most cited sources focus on topics such as sustainability, authentic experiences, local community involvement, and post-pandemic tourism, providing a clear map of the scientific cores shaping the field. Additionally, the emergence of recent publications in central positions confirms the current dynamism of research and the integration of interdisciplinary perspectives from economics, sociology, and environmental sciences. Thus, the citation map validates the dominant directions identified in the co-occurrence analysis and offers a solid foundation for understanding the academic structure of the field.

The visual citation map highlights the structure of international collaborations and the distribution of academic influence. The size of the nodes corresponds to the volume of citations for each country, while the connection lines reflect the frequency of reciprocal citations. China and Spain emerge as central nodes with extensive links to other states, indicating that studies published in these countries are frequently cited by researchers worldwide. Romania and Portugal are integrated into a significant regional cluster, demonstrating strong academic activity within the European context.

This analysis confirms that rural tourism and sustainable development are global topics of interest, with citations showcasing the scientific impact of research conducted in these areas. Studies in this field contribute to understanding how tourism can be used as a strategy to revitalize rural areas, with significant economic and social implications. The increasing number of citations and international collaborations reflects a growing trend in research on rural tourism and its connections to agriculture and sustainability.

Table 5. The most cited works that dealt with rural tourism, agritourism, and sustainable development.

Author	Title/Journal	Year of Publication	No of Citations	Content
Streimikiene, D., Svagzdiene, B., Jasinskas, E., & Simanavicius, A.	Sustainable tourism development and competitiveness: The systematic literature review. Sustainable development, 29(1), 259–271.	2021	282	It analyzes the scientific literature to identify the main forms and factors that strengthen competitiveness in tourism, by implementing economic, social and environmental objectives in the development of tourist destinations. The authors emphasize the importance of sustainable tourism planning and development, balancing societal objectives with tourist needs, and highlight the interest of industry actors in implementing new technologies that have a positive impact on the environment and local communities. However, challenges persist in changing the environment and increasing consumer motivation for sustainable tourism services [63].
Yang, J., Yang, R., Chen, M. H., Su, C. H. J., Zhi, Y., & Xi, J.	Effects of rural revitalization on rural tourism. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 47, 35–45.	2021	204	The paper analyses the impact of rural revitalization on rural tourism and agritourism, highlighting how sustainable development initiatives contribute to economic growth and improve living conditions in local communities. The study highlights the role of infrastructure, government policies and community involvement in stimulating sustainable tourism, highlighting benefits such as diversification of economic activities and conservation of natural resources [64].
Zhu, H.; Deng, F.	How to Influence Rural Tourism Intention by Risk Knowledge during COVID-19 Containment in China: Mediating Role of Risk Perception and Attitude. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(10), 3514.	2020	164	It is studied and analyzed how knowledge about risks influences the intention to participate in rural tourism in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study highlights that a better understanding of the associated risks reduces risk perception and avoidance attitudes, which increases the intention to participate and recommend rural tourism [12].
Liu, C., Dou, X., Li, J., & Cai, L. A.	Analyzing government role in rural tourism development: An empirical investigation from China. Journal of Rural Studies, 79, 177–188.	2020	150	The paper analyzes the role of government in the development of rural tourism in China, highlighting the importance of institutional support and public policies in the sustainable growth of the sector. The study highlights the positive impact of infrastructure, regulations and financing on agritourism and sustainable development, contributing to the revitalization of rural communities and the protection of natural resources [65].
Rosalina, P. D., Dupre, K., & Wang, Y.	Rural tourism: A systematic literature review on definitions and challenges. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 47, 134–149.	2021	148	The paper analyzes through a systematic literature review the definitions and challenges of rural tourism, focusing on sustainable development. The study highlights the role of rural tourism and agritourism in diversifying the local economy, preserving cultural heritage and protecting the environment. It also identifies the main challenges, such as the lack of adequate infrastructure, ineffective regulations and difficulties in integrating sustainability into tourism strategies [66].
Vaishar, A., & Šťastná, M.	Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural tourism in Czechia Preliminary considerations. Current Issues in Tourism, 25(2), 187–191.	2022	143	The effects of the pandemic on rural tourism are studied, highlighting that this sector has had greater resilience compared to urban tourism. The study shows that travel restrictions have led to an increase in interest in rural tourism, but highlights the need for investments in infrastructure, marketing and regional collaboration to maintain this trend in the long term [67].
Kastenholz, E., Marques, C. P., & Carneiro, M. J.	Place attachment through sensory-rich, emotion-generating place experiences in rural tourism. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, 17, 100455.	2020	114	The paper analyses how sensory experiences contribute to place attachment in rural tourism. The study highlights the importance of multisensory interaction (smells, sounds, landscapes) in creating authentic and sustainable experiences. It also highlights the role of agritourism in sustainable development, strengthening the relationship between tourists and local communities [68].
Li, J., Bai, Y., & Alatalo, J. M.	Impacts of rural tourism-driven land use change on ecosystems services provision in Erhai Lake Basin, China. Ecosystem Services, 42, 101081.	2020	111	The study analyzes the impact of rural tourism on land use in the Erhai Lake region, China, highlighting the economic and environmental transformations generated by the development of this sector. The research shows that the expansion of rural tourism contributes to the increase of local incomes but may affect the sustainability of natural resources. The proposed solutions aim at balanced planning and environmental protection policies [69].
Li, Z., Zhang, X., Yang, K., Singer, R., & Cui, R.	Urban and rural tourism under COVID-19 in China: research on the recovery measures and tourism development. Tourism Review, 76(4), 718–736.	2021	95	The paper analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural and urban tourism, highlighting the advantages of tourism in rural areas, where restrictions have been less severe. The study shows that agritourism has benefited from an increase in demand, offering opportunities for sustainable development through the diversification of economic activities and the promotion of ecotourism [70].
Zhu, L., Wang, B., & Sun, Y.	Multi-objective optimization for energy consumption, daylighting and thermal comfort performance of rural tourism buildings in north China. Building and Environment, 176, 106841.	2020	90	The paper analyzes the energy optimization of buildings in rural areas of northern China, with implications for rural tourism and agritourism by improving the sustainability of tourism infrastructure. The study highlights the importance of energy-efficient solutions to reduce environmental impact, thus contributing to the sustainable development of rural tourism [71]

presents an analysis of the most cited works that dealt with rural tourism, agritourism, and sustainable development.

Table 5 synthesizes the essential contributions of the most cited works on rural tourism, agritourism, and sustainable development from 2020–2024. These studies emphasize the sector’s role in diversifying local economies, revitalizing communities, and preserving natural and cultural heritage. During the pandemic and post-pandemic periods, rural tourism emerged as a viable alternative to urban tourism, offering increased safety and heightened interest in sustainability. Additionally, the challenges related to infrastructure, regulations, and integrating sustainable practices are underscored, highlighting the need for effective policies to strengthen this sector.

4. Discussions

The scientometric analysis of rural tourism and agritourism revealed a significant increase in academic interest during the pandemic and post-pandemic periods. The findings suggest that these forms of tourism are increasingly recognized as sustainable alternatives to mass tourism due to their positive impact on local economies, environmental conservation, and cultural heritage preservation. The analyzed studies confirm that agritourism and rural tourism contribute to diversifying farmers’ incomes, reducing depopulation in rural areas, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

The growth in scientific production in this field reflects a sharp increase in publications during the 2020–2022 period, driven by the changes imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rural tourism was perceived as a viable solution for proximity tourism, preferred for its enhanced safety and access to nature. Post-pandemic studies indicate that this trend persisted, as travelers became more aware of the ecological impact of their journeys and favored authentic experiences that support local economies.

One significant aspect identified in the analysis is the role of technology in promoting rural tourism and agritourism. Digitalization enabled farmers and local entrepreneurs to market their offerings to a broader audience via online platforms, facilitating tourists’ access to personalized services. The studies highlight the positive impact of rural tourism, particularly in re-educating consumers about local products and sustainable agricultural methods, while simultaneously encouraging the integration of circular economy practices.

The analysis of research conducted during the 2020–2024 period highlighted key trends, focusing on keyword frequency, citation dynamics, and the geographical distribution of studies. The findings reveal that terms such as “sustainability”, “rural tourism”, “agritourism”, and “rural development” are predominant in the specialized literature, signaling increased interest in responsible tourism models. Citation studies underscore the importance of these subjects in academic research, suggesting that sustainable strategies are becoming increasingly relevant for effective tourism policies. Additionally, the analysis of countries involved in these studies indicates that regions with strong agricultural sectors actively invest in research aimed at optimizing the interaction between tourism and agriculture, thereby highlighting opportunities for sustainable development.

The analysis of the most cited works demonstrates that the development of this sector is not without challenges. Issues such as inadequate infrastructure, unclear regulations, and insufficient support from governmental policies act as barriers to the expansion of rural tourism. Additionally, the environmental impact could become problematic without appropriate strategies for managing natural resources. The studies emphasize the importance of maintaining a balance between economic development and natural heritage conservation, proposing solutions such as implementing regenerative tourism models and developing public policies to support the transition to sustainability.

International collaborations have played a vital role in increasing the visibility of this research field. The results highlight an extensive network of cooperation among universities and research institutes from China, Europe, the United States, and Romania, reflecting global interest in the sustainable development of rural areas. The most cited works focus on the intersection of tourism, agriculture, and the circular economy, underscoring the importance of a multidisciplinary framework for the development of this sector.

The scientometric conclusions obtained are significantly correlated with the directions already present in the specialized literature. The cluster on sustainability and rural development confirms the relevance of the theoretical frameworks proposed by Lane and Kastenholz [10], which emphasize the multifunctional nature of rural tourism. Similarly, agritourism is approached as a tool for economic diversification and preservation of local cultural heritage, in line with the typology formulated by Phillip et al. [11].

The emergence of the cluster related to “COVID-19” and “risk perception” reflects concerns documented by Zhu and Deng [12], as well as recent research highlighting the shift in tourist preferences toward more isolated, safer, and nature-oriented destinations [10,72] Thus, rural tourism and agritourism gain a new dimension as resilient and regenerative forms of tourism in the post-pandemic era.

Additionally, the presence of terms such as “digitalization”, “smart tourism”, and “technology acceptance” in scientometric networks confirms post-2020 trends regarding the accelerated adoption of technology in the promotion and management of rural destinations [73]. Recent studies support that the integration of digital platforms and smart solutions can facilitate tourist access to personalized, transparent, and sustainable offers, contributing to the increased competitiveness of the rural economy [74].

Although the scientometric approach applied in this study provides a solid overview of research trends, thematic clusters, and collaboration networks, it also presents inherent limitations. Relying on co-occurrence, co-authorship, and co-citation networks allows for efficient quantitative mapping, but it cannot capture the depth of content, narrative dynamics, or interpretative nuances of the analyzed publications. However, this limitation is partially compensated by the analysis of the most cited works in the field (see Table 5), where major theoretical directions and thematic contributions defining current research in rural tourism and agritourism are highlighted.

This selection helps provide a general understanding of high-impact academic content, without substituting a detailed qualitative analysis. Additionally, the exclusive use of bibliometric data does not allow for the highlighting of stakeholder perspectives, contextual influences, or socio-cultural dimensions of rural tourism and agritourism.

Future research could complement these results through qualitative content analyses or mixed-method approaches, offering a deeper understanding of the themes and a more relevant practical contextualization for decision-makers, local entrepreneurs, and rural communities. Combining scientometric techniques with case studies, interviews, or discourse analyses would allow for a more nuanced investigation of interdisciplinary connections and the real-world applicability of the results.

These correlations between scientometric findings and the specialized literature (including recent contributions) validate the quality of the dataset and provide a coherent picture of how rural tourism and agritourism are structured as strategic research and public intervention domains in the context of sustainability [75], digitalization, and post-pandemic transformations.

The results of this study offer several practical implications for key stakeholders involved in the development of rural tourism and agritourism.

Local and regional policymakers can use the identified thematic trends—such as sustainability, digitalization, and risk management—as strategic priorities in designing funding programs or rural development initiatives, in alignment with the Common Agricultural Policy and the European Union’s Cohesion Policy.

Rural entrepreneurs and farm owners can adapt agritourism offerings to the new expectations of tourists highlighted in the specialized literature, such as preferences for authentic, safe, and proximity-based experiences. The emphasis on terms like “local products”, “farm experience”, and “digital booking” in scientometric networks indicates opportunities for diversification, integration into short supply chains, and value-added tourism services.

Tourism promotion agencies and non-governmental organizations can tailor communication and education campaigns based on dominant post-pandemic themes, particularly those related to eco-responsible behavior, digital engagement, and community-based tourism [76]. Understanding the current scientific landscape enables these actors to anticipate trends, adapt their offerings, and contribute to the co-creation of sustainable tourism models anchored in rural identity and resilience [77].

5. Conclusions

The analysis based on documents retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (Clarivate Analytics), focusing on rural tourism and agritourism during the 2020–2024 period, shows a significant increase in research activity, primarily driven by changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The studies reveal that these forms of tourism have been perceived as sustainable solutions for rural development, positively impacting local economies, conserving natural heritage, and preserving traditional culture.

During the pandemic, rural tourism and agritourism emerged as viable alternatives to mass tourism, preferred for their enhanced safety and proximity to nature. This trend continued during the post-pandemic years, with growing interest in sustainable development.

The research highlights rural tourism’s role in diversifying farmers’ incomes, reducing rural depopulation, and supporting agriculture through the integration of sustainable practices. Findings confirm a close correlation between agritourism and the circular economy, contributing to increased demand for local products and maintaining traditional agricultural activities.

Geographically, the analyzed studies originate mainly from China, Spain, the USA, Italy, and Romania, reflecting a growing interest in the development of this sector in regions with a well-developed agricultural component.

In this context, the identified research domains focus on sustainability, digitalization, authentic experiences, and post-pandemic adaptation. These themes highlight the strategic importance of rural tourism and agritourism in shaping economic resilience, technological integration, and sustainable development in rural areas.

From a geographical point of view, the studies are primarily from China, Spain, the USA, Italy, and Romania, reflecting heightened interest in developing this sector in regions with strong agricultural sectors. Key areas include sustainability, rural tourism, agritourism, and sustainable development, underscoring major efforts to incorporate these concepts into economic and environmental strategies.

Among the identified limitations, we mention the inadequate infrastructure and a lack of clear governmental policies that hinder the expansion of rural tourism. The improperly managed tourism activities may negatively impact the environment, necessitating strategies for resource protection.

The recommendations for future research should include exploring solutions to improve infrastructure; adapting policies to better support agritourism; and analyzing long-term impacts of rural tourism on agriculture and the environment.

International collaborations have played a pivotal role in advancing rural tourism research, creating an extensive network of cooperation among universities and research institutes worldwide. The most cited studies emphasize the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, integrating tourism, agriculture, and the circular economy to support the sustainable development of rural communities.

By addressing the three formulated research questions—regarding dominant themes, key contributors, and emerging directions—this analysis has enabled a deep understanding of the current scientific landscape. The results reveal a strengthening of studies on sustainability, digitalization, and the integration of circular economy principles in rural tourism and agritourism.

This study provides an original contribution to the specialized literature by applying a scientometric analysis to research on rural tourism and agritourism from 2020 to 2024, with a special focus on the implications of the pandemic and post-pandemic context. The findings highlight not only traditional research directions but also the emergence of new themes such as the following:

• Digitalization of rural tourism services;
• Transition to circular economic models;
• Development of short supply chains;
• Growing interest in proximity tourism and authentic outdoor experiences.

The results highlight not only traditional research directions but also the emergence of new relevant themes, such as the digitalization of rural tourism services, the transition to circular economic models, the development of short supply chains, and the increased interest in proximity tourism and authentic outdoor experiences. These trends reflect a profound transformation in consumer behavior and offer strategic opportunities for the sustainable revitalization of rural areas in the post-pandemic period.

These trends reflect a profound shift in tourist consumption behavior and present strategic opportunities for the sustainable revitalization of rural areas. The conclusions emphasize the need for an interdisciplinary approach and adapted public policies to harness the transformative potential of rural tourism in the post-pandemic era.

To advance research in this field, a transdisciplinary approach is required that leverages the principles of sustainability, innovation, and community resilience. Future studies should explore integrated solutions for improving rural infrastructure—including accessibility, digital connectivity, and public utility services—which support the development of sustainable tourism. Moreover, public policies need to be adapted to respond more effectively to the needs of farmers and rural tourism entrepreneurs, encouraging local initiatives. Another important research direction involves analyzing the long-term impact of rural tourism on land use, biodiversity, and ecological balance. Furthermore, it is essential to investigate methods for actively involving communities in decision-making processes, as well as how technological innovations—digital promotion platforms, reservation systems, virtual reality—can contribute to increasing the appeal of rural destinations.

Future Research Perspectives

To advance this field, future research should explore the following:

Integrated solutions for improving rural infrastructure (accessibility, digital connectivity, utilities) to support sustainable tourism development.

Policy adaptations to better meet the needs of farmers and rural tourism entrepreneurs, and encourage local initiatives.

Long-term impact analysis of rural tourism on land use, biodiversity, and ecological balance.

Community engagement methods for active participation in decision-making processes.

Technological innovations, such as digital promotion platforms, booking systems, and virtual reality, enhance the attractiveness of rural destinations.

Future research should adopt a transdisciplinary approach, emphasizing sustainability, innovation, and community resilience to shape the future of rural tourism and agritourism.