Immersive currents and futures: mapping the metaverse in contemporary hospitality and tourism research

Purpose This study aims to systematically analyze the intellectual structure of metaverse research in the hospitality and tourism domain. It identifies key theoretical foundations, emerging themes and conceptual relationships by leveraging bibliometric analysis. The research seeks to bridge the gap between conceptual studies and practical applications, offering an integrative framework for adoption by industry. Design/methodology/approach This study integrates bibliometric and text-mining approaches to systematically review the metaverse research in hospitality and tourism. Findings The study identifies six key research clusters, highlighting the metaverse’s role in immersive tourism, digital engagement and sustainability. The findings reveal that technological adoption, virtual presence and brand engagement are central to metaverse research in hospitality. Co-citation analysis highlights the dominant theoretical models, such as the stimulus–organism–response model, while text mining identifies gaps in empirical applications. The research underscores the metaverse’s potential to enhance customer experience, marketing strategies and sustainable tourism development. Originality/value This study is among the first to conduct a systematic bibliometric review of metaverse research in the hospitality and tourism sector. By integrating co-citation analysis and text mining, it offers a comprehensive and objective examination of the existing literature. The research provides a novel conceptual framework for understanding metaverse adoption, digital engagement and sustainability in hospitality. It bridges theoretical and practical gaps, offering valuable insights for scholars, industry practitioners and policymakers. The study also highlights critical research gaps and proposes a future research agenda, ensuring its relevance in guiding strategic decision-making and technological advancements in the hospitality industry.