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This study explores the crucial role of competitive intelligence (CI) in the tourism sector’s strategic decision-making. CI has significantly transformed the tourism sector through new insights and sophistication in data analysis and strategic planning. The rise in tourism-related competition, due to new destinations, varied tourist preferences and sustainability emphasis, makes competitive intelligence essential for understanding future market trends and making informed strategic choices.

Utilising PRISMA techniques for bibliometric analysis, the study examines literature from 1998 to 2023 (WoS), focusing on service innovation, customer experience management and sustainable strategies. It presents an analysis of the evolution of CI in tourism, its impact, influential works and future research directions.

Findings show that the multidisciplinary nature of CI in tourism is further evidenced by studies on quality cues, travellers’ information needs and the utilisation of big data. Future studies need to understand both global trends and regional specifics, as shown in investigations of spatial-temporal tourism dynamics.

This study represents a novel contribution to the field of tourism research by offering a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of CI literature from 1998 to 2023. It uniquely integrates service innovation, customer experience management and sustainable strategies within the context of CI, highlighting its multidisciplinary impacts and evolution. These insights collectively emphasise the need for future innovation and a comprehensive understanding of the global-local nexus to inform future tourism research and practice.