The future of the sustainable tourism paradigm : navigating transformative forces and expanding into space and cyberspace

Mihalič, Tanja (author)

This article explores the paradigm of sustainable tourism and its evolution under the transformative forces of the 21st century, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, political shifts and new tourism phenomena such as overtourism and regenerative tourism, as well as rapid technological advances such as digitalisation, space tourism and metaversal travel. Utilising a dual paradigmatic framework inspired by Kuhn’s philosophy of science, this study explores 'what' should be sustained and 'how' sustainability can be achieved. Using a literature review and social network analysis, current interpretations and applications of sustainable tourism are critically evaluated. At the same time, past, present, emerging and quasi-paradigms that are friendly or rival and complement or challenge the sustainable tourism paradigm are examined. The findings emphasise the need to reassess and adapt the theoretical and practical foundations of a tourism-specific paradigm that should incorporate new phenomena and extend to extra-terrestrial and metaverse contexts. Future research should focus on the resilience and adaptability of paradigms to ensure their relevance in an evolving tourism landscape.

• Language: English
• Keywords: tourism, sustainable development, cybernetics
• Typology: 1.16 - Independent Scientific Component Part or a Chapter in a Monograph
• Organization: EF - School of Economics and Business
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Author Accepted Manuscript
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 147-162
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-182780
• UDC: 338.48
• DOI: 10.2307/jj.30551284.19
• COBISS.SI-ID: 268038147
• Publication date in RUL: 22.05.2026

Record is a part of a monograph

• Title: Envisioning tourism in the future
• Editors: Richard Butler
• Place of publishing: Bristol
• Publisher: Channel View Publications
• Year: 2026
• ISBN: 978-1-84541-906-6
• COBISS.SI-ID: 268034307
• Collection title: The future of tourism
• Collection numbering: 14

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: turizem, trajnostni razvoj, kibernetika

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0117
• Name: Trajnostna konkurenčnost slovenskega gospodarstva v evropskem in globalnem okviru