Artificial intelligence and Tourism 4.0 for sustainable transformation: A systematic review of environmental and governance impacts

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) and the concept of Tourism 4.0 have transformative potential in advancing sustainable tourism, particularly in addressing environmental and governance challenges. This systematic literature review, conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses 2020 guidelines, compiles peer-reviewed studies from 2015 to 2023 to evaluate AI’s role within Tourism 4.0 in promoting sustainability. The analysis focuses on two domains: Environmental impacts, such as energy efficiency, resource conservation, and low-carbon tourism strategies, and governance impacts, including transparent certification, accountable digital platforms, and data-driven policy innovation. While AI and related smart systems demonstrate positive outcomes, critical issues, such as cost barriers, data privacy concerns, and limited long-term evaluation, remain underexplored. The review also highlights research gaps, including the scarcity of integrated frameworks and longitudinal studies. Building on these findings, recommendations for Malaysia emphasize strengthening smart infrastructure, piloting blockchain-based transparency systems, enhancing institutional coordination, and embedding energy-efficient AI solutions into governance frameworks. By situating Malaysia at a mid-evolution stage of digital tourism, the study offers practical insights into how AI and Tourism 4.0 can support environmentally sustainable and ethically governed tourism futures.

Keywords

Tourism 4.0 / Sustainable tourism / Artificial intelligence / Digital transformation / Environmental governance / Industry 4.0 technologies

Funding

None.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare they have no competing interests.

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