Current knowledge and future research directions of medical tourism: insights from a bibliometric analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT The increasing number of published articles indicate the growth in the literature on medical tourism (MT). Using the performance analysis, we identify publication trends, most-cited articles, and analysis of methodologies used. Moreover, the current knowledge of MT is also synthesized using a keyword co-occurrence network, indicating 5 clusters and themes. These include the tourism market, health tourism, health services, medical tourism, and tourism. We also highlight 5 major research fronts or themes currently in focus and expanding. We aim to help academics and practitioners increase their understanding of MT and provide directions for future research.