Title: Converging paths or divergent goals? Scholarly and industry perspectives on aligning tourism with the sustainable development goals

Authors: Sameera Khan; Dileep Kumar Singh

Addresses: Department of Information Technology, Vardhaman College of Engineering, Hyderabad, Telangana, 501218, India ' School of Business Management, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Hyderabad, Telangana, 509301, India

Abstract: The objective of this research is to assess the significance of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in tourism research and industry by blending academic and industrial opinions. Bibliometric technique is used to map tourism research data, key themes, and their evolution towards sustainability. The paper also analyses consulting firm reports to outline recent trends and approaches towards sustainable tourism. A comparative analysis of academic and industry data highlights differing priorities: whereas academia translates sustainable development and policy lessons into lasting solutions, consultancy provides practical, real-time, and organisational solutions that are in the industry's best interests. A converging perception of the views of sustainability and business economics, and a disparity in viewpoints, is noticed due to the divergent goals of research and professional practice. Through the synthesis of these perspectives, the study provides a beneficial roadmap for stakeholders to enhance the contribution of tourism to SDGs.

Keywords: sustainability; SDG; sustainable development goal; tourism; bibliometric.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2026.154171

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2026 Vol.16 No.3, pp.206 - 221

Received: 07 May 2025
Accepted: 21 Feb 2026
Published online: 15 Jun 2026 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article