Evaluation of the Literature on Women's Labor Force in the Tourism Sector From A Bibliographic Perspective Using R Software

Abstract

Purpose – This research aims to systematically reveal academic trends, conceptual developments and research gaps in the field by examining the literature on female labour in the tourism sector from a bibliometric perspective.
Design/methodology/approach – In line with the aim of the research, a search was conducted on 10 October 2025 in the SCOPUS database using the keywords (‘tourism’ OR “hospitality” OR ‘travel industry’) AND (‘women workforce’ OR ‘female employment’ OR ‘gender equality’ OR ‘gender diversity’ OR ‘female participation’), resulting in the identification of 367 studies. The studies accessed through the database were examined using a bibliometric analysis method via the Biblioshiny extension of the R Studio programme. As a result of data analysis, Annual Scientific Output, Authors –Key Words–Countries, Countries' Scientific Publication Output, Change in Trend Topics Over Time, Thematic Map, Conceptual Structure, and Factor Analysis, revealing the structural characteristics and thematic trends of the literature as a whole.
Results – Findings obtained from data analysis show that scientific interest in female labour in the tourism sector emerged distinctly, particularly after 2015. However, the findings show that over the years, scientific publications have focused on inequalities related to gender equality and sustainable development.
Discussion – Thematic assessments of the literature on female labour in the tourism sector reveal that women's current position in the tourism sector cannot be limited to employment rates alone; it is necessary to take into account their experiences in managerial roles and in work-life and work-family balance alongside employment rates.