Motorcycle tourism: a systematic literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29352/mill0219e.41016Keywords:
Motorcycle tourism; determinants; tourist motivation; adventure tourism; systematic literature review (PRISMA)Abstract
Introduction: From a niche activity associated with specific subcultures, Motorcycle Tourism (MT) has, in recent years, become an established segment of Drive Tourism, creating new opportunities for research and business development within the tourism sector.
Objective: This study aims to provide a thorough and structured summary of existing knowledge on MT, to identify gaps in current research, and explore future lines of investigation, namely, to explain the characteristics, attitudes, expectations, and motivations of motorcycle tourists, as well as their impact on the sustainability of local communities along the routes.
Methods: A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines. Additionally, VOSviewer software was employed to identify clusters and trends, as well as their interlinkages.
Results: The results suggest the existence of four main thematic clusters: Tourism, Sustainability and Mobility; Motorcycle Tourism; Motorcycling and Determinants; Motivations. In addition, important studies combine destination management, tourist motivation, economic impact, and sustainability.
Conclusion: A promising direction for future research is the integration of sustainable infrastructure studies with behavioral analysis of motorcyclists' motivations, signaling new directions in the field. Additionally, the focus on rural development and regional markets presents opportunities for applied research. This study is innovative in that, to our knowledge, no other SLR on MT has been published yet, and it updates other previous works on the subject, bringing an innovative approach and new insights to science.
Downloads
References
Akaho, Y. (2024). Conceptualizing the adventure tourist as a cross-boundary learner. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 100795. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2024.100795
Beall, J., Boley, B., Landon, A., & Woosnam, K. (2020). What drives ecotourism: environmental values or symbolic conspicuous consumption? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 29, 1215 - 1234. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1825458.
Borstlap, H., & Fourie, A. (2020). Who is riding to the South African bike festival? Event Management, 24(1), 97–111. https://doi.org/10.3727/152599518X15403853721303
Bunghez, C. L. (2021). The emerging trend of niche tourism: Impact analysis. Journal of Marketing Research and Case Studies, 2021, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.5171/2021.134710
Carson, D. B., & Schmallegger, D. A. (2011). Drive tourism: A view from the road (pp. 358–368). Routledge.
Carson, D., & Carson, D. (2010). Drive tourism: A view from the road. In B. Prideaux & D. Carson (Eds.), Drive tourism: Trends and emerging markets (pp. 358–368). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203880395
Casoli, D., Corsini, N., Presutti, M., & Magnini, V. (2023). Why (not) participate in an adventure motorcycle tourism event? Tourism Analysis, 28(4), 587–602. https://doi.org/10.3727/108354223X16833130470150
Cater, C. I. (2017). Tourism on two wheels: Patterns of motorcycle leisure in Wales. Tourism Management, 61, 180–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.02.007
Chauhan, R. (2024). Exploring the impact of transformative adventure tourism experiences on destination image, satisfaction, and future intentions. Tourism and Hospitality Research. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/14673584251333138
Chiu, B. Y. (2023). Relationship between motorcycle travel and the built environment: Evidence from Taipei, Taiwan. Journal of Transport Geography, 110, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2023.103607
Cohen, E. (1974). Who is a Tourist? A Conceptual Clarification. The Sociological Review, 22(4), 527-555. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-954X.1974.tb00507.x (Original work published 1974)
Colarič-Jakše, L.-M., & Ambrož, M. (2015). Motorcyclist – Tourist’s corporeal and spiritual experiences. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 6(3), 358–366. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n3s2p358
Cruz, S., De Almeida, C., Pintassilgo, P., & Raimundo, R. (2022). Sustainable Drive Tourism Routes: A Systematic Literature Review. Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11110510.
Ertaş, M., & Aktaş, G. (2024). Motives and constraints of motorcycle leisure through the lens of serious leisure: Scale development. Tourism Recreation Research, 49(6), 1397–1410. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2022.2155389
Ertaş, M., Sykes, D., & Cater, C. (2022). Effects of motorcycle group membership on the ride experience and travel motivators: A comparison between the USA, the UK, and Turkey. Zeitschrift für Tourismuswissenschaft, 14(3), 333–350. https://doi.org/10.1515/tw-2022-0012
Frash, R. E., & Blose, J. E. (2019). Serious leisure as a predictor of travel intentions and flow in motorcycle tourism. Tourism Recreation Research, 44(4), 516–531. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2019.1626118
Frash, R. E., Blose, J. E., Smith, W. W., & Scherhag, K. (2018). A multidisciplinary marketing profile of motorcycle tourists: Explorers escaping routine to find flow on scenic routes. Tourism Recreation Research, 43(4), 432–444. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2018.1492767
Fu, Y., & Zhao, J. (2024). Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior to Understand Ecotourism Behavior: The Role of Human–Land Coordination and Self-Mastery. Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219248.
Gillen, J. (2016). Urbanizing existential authenticity: Motorbike tourism in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Tourist Studies, 16(3), 258–275. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468797615618035
Gillen, J., Kirby, R., & van Riemsdijk, M. (2015). Tour guides as tourist products in Da-lat, Vietnam: Exploring market freedoms in a communist state. Asia Pacific Viewpoint, 56(2), 237–251. https://doi.org/10.1111/apv.12067
Graefe, A., Mueller, J. T., Taff, B. D., & Wimpey, J. (2019). A comprehensive method for evaluating the impacts of race events on protected lands. Society & Natural Resources, 32(10), 1155–1170. https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2019.1583396
Gronau, W. & Große Hokamp, J. (2022). Motorcycle Tourism: The long ride towards an academic field of research – a literature review. Zeitschrift für Tourismuswissenschaft, 14(3), 248-262. https://doi.org/10.1515/tw-2022-0013
Gross, S., & Sand, M. (2019). Adventure tourism: a perspective paper. Tourism Review. https://doi.org/10.1108/tr-06-2019-0211.
He, H. W., Lin, Z. B., & Li, H. (2020). Key survival factors in the exhibition industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102561
Heide, T., & Scuttari, A. (2022). Holiday preferences and travel behavior of German motorcyclists: A cluster analysis. Zeitschrift für Tourismuswissenschaft, 14(3), 284–302. https://doi.org/10.1515/tw-2022-0019
Hosen, N., Paulino, I., & Hamzah, A. (2025). Identifying self-drive tourists' main routes, motivations and decision-making in Peninsular Malaysia. Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights, 6(1), 100180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2025.100180
Izquierdo-Gascón, M., & Rubio-Gil, Á. (2022). A theoretical approach to Api-tourism routes as a paradigm of sustainable and regenerative rural development. Journal of Apicultural Research, 62, 751 - 766. https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.2022.2079285.
Janowski, I., Gardiner, S., & Kwek, A. (2021). Dimensions of adventure tourism. Tourism Management Perspectives, 37, 100776. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2020.100776
Jderu, G. (2022). Motorcycling in a repair society: A maintenance and repair–centered approach to automobility. East European Politics and Societies, 36(2), 604–625. https://doi.org/10.1177/0888325420950802
Kalpokas, N., & Radivojevic, I. (2021). Bridging the Gap Between Methodology and Qualitative Data Analysis Software: A Practical Guide for Educators and Qualitative Researchers. Sociological Research Online, 27, 313 - 341. https://doi.org/10.1177/13607804211003579.
Kane, M., & Tucker, H. (2004). Adventure tourism. Tourist Studies, 4(3), 217–234. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468797604057323
Kang, H., Yim, H., Kim, S., Lee, O., & Kim, H. (2024). Investigating factors influencing the selection of micro-mobility in a tourist city: Focus on Jeju City. Sustainability, 16(21), 9418. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219418
Krier, D., & Swart, W. J. (2016). The commodification of spectacle: Spectators, sponsors and the outlaw biker diegesis at Sturgis. Critical Sociology, 42(1), 11–32. https://doi.org/10.1177/0896920514524605
Kruger, M., & Borstlap, H. (2019). Steering clear: A 3-E typology of motorcycle event visitors. Event Management, 23(3), 465–482. https://doi.org/10.3727/152599518X15378845225429
Kumar, S., Hasija, N., Kumar, V., & Sageena, G. (2023). Ecotourism: A Holistic Assessment of Environmental and Socioeconomic Effects towards Sustainable Development. Current World Environment. https://doi.org/10.12944/cwe.18.2.14.
Kunt, S., & Meydan-Uygur, S. (2019). Seven churches of the revelation visited in route tourism in Turkey. International Journal of Professional Business Review, 4(1), 32–52. https://doi.org/10.26668/businessreview/2019.v4i1.92
Lee, T., & Jan, F. (2018). Ecotourism Behavior of Nature-Based Tourists: An Integrative Framework. Journal of Travel Research, 57, 792 - 810. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287517717350
Lennon, J. J., & Harris, J. (2020). The North Coast 500: Developing tourism in the northern Scottish Highlands. Scottish Affairs, 29(2), 223–253. https://doi.org/10.3366/scot.2020.0317
Mackenzie, H., Hodge, K., & Filep, S. (2021). How does adventure sport tourism enhance well-being? A conceptual model. Tourism Recreation Research, 48, 3 - 16. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2021.1894043.
Merry, K., Bettinger, P., Siry, J., & Bowker, J. M. (2020). Preferences of motorcyclists to views of managed, rural southern United States landscapes. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism-Research Planning and Management, 29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2019.100259
Milne, S., & Ateljevic, I. (2001). Tourism, economic development, and the global-local nexus: Theory embracing complexity. Tourism Geographies, 3, 369 - 393. https://doi.org/10.1080/146166800110070478.
Montazerolhodjah, M., Sharifnejad, M., & Montazerolhodjah, M. (2019). Soundscape preferences of tourists in historical urban open spaces. International Journal of Tourism Cities, 5(3), 465–481. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJTC-08-2018-0065
Morfopos, N., Kopsidas, A., & Kepaptsoglou, K. (2024). How does tourism affect permanent residents’ travel preferences? The case of Rhodes, Greece. Transportation Letters, 16(7), 703–714. https://doi.org/10.1080/19427867.2023.2234709
Mueller, J. T., Taff, B. D., Wimpey, J., & Graefe, A. (2018). Small-scale race events in natural areas: Participants' attitudes, beliefs, and global perceptions of Leave No Trace ethics. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism-Research Planning and Management, 23, 8–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2018.03.001
Mutana, S., & Mukwada, G. (2017). An exploratory assessment of significant tourism sustainability indicators for a montane-based route in the Drakensberg Mountains. Sustainability, 9(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/su9071202
Mutana, S., & Mukwada, G. (2018). Mountain-route tourism and sustainability: A discourse analysis of literature and possible future research. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 24, 59–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2018.08.003
Mutana, S., & Mukwada, G. (2020a). Are policies and guidelines shaping tourism sustainability in South Africa? Critical success factors for tourism sustainability governance in the Drakensberg Region. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 20(2), 198–209. https://doi.org/10.1177/1467358419841100
Mutana, S., & Mukwada, G. (2020b). Can mountain route tourism work for people with low incomes? Exploring worldviews from Maluti Route in the Drakensberg Region of South Africa. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 20(1), 18–30. https://doi.org/10.1177/1467358418791312
Nguyen, T., Young, T., Johnson, P., & Wearing, S. (2019). Conceptualising networks in sustainable tourism development. Tourism Management Perspectives. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2019.100575.
Ochieng, A., & Kule, C. (2022). Boda bodas: The new form of adventure tourist transportation in Uganda. Zeitschrift für Tourismuswissenschaft, 14(3), 400–416. https://doi.org/10.1515/tw-2022-0018
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., & Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372. https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n71
Papathanassis, A. (2011). The long tail of tourism. Holiday Niches and their Impact on Mainstream Tourism. Wiesbaden, Gabler.
Pedrosa, A., Martins, F., & Breda, Z. (2022). Tourism routes: a scoping review. European Journal of Tourism Research. https://doi.org/10.54055/ejtr.v32i.2575.
Perianes-Rodriguez, A., Waltman, L., & Van Eck, N.J. (2016). Constructing bibliometric networks: A comparison between full and fractional counting. Journal of Informetrics, 10(4), 1178-1195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2016.10.006.
Permana, R., Dickinson, J., Stoyanova-Bozhkova, S., & Smith, A. (2024). The (un)sustainability of rural tourism travel in the global south: A social practice theory perspective. International Journal of Tourism Research, 26(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.2668
Prideaux, B. (2020). Drive and car tourism: a perspective article. Tourism Review, 75(1), 109-112. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-05-2019-0162
Prideaux, B., & Carson, D. (Eds.). (2010). Drive tourism: Trends and emerging markets (Vol. 17). Routledge.https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203880395
Proos, E., Kokt, D., & Hattingh, J. L. (2017). Marketing and management effectiveness of the Free State section of Maloti Drakensberg Route. South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation, 39(1), 135–147. https://doi.org/10.1007/6d6fb4
Qiu, H., Chen, D., Li, Q., Peng, K., & Jenkins, C. L. (2021). Assessing the Belt and Road Initiative’s impact on tourism development in China: Insights from MOOCs learning platform. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 12(4), 641–657. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTT-05-2020-0128
Qiu, H., Hsu, C., Li, M., & Shu, B. (2018). Self-drive tourism attributes: influences on satisfaction and behavioural intention. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 23, 395 - 407. https://doi.org/10.1080/10941665.2018.1445117
Quadri-Felitti, D., Sykes, D., & Chen, F. (2019). Is motorcycle tourism ready to rev up in Pennsylvania? An exploratory study of suppliers’ business attitudes of motorcycle tourism. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, 13(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCTHR-06-2018-0084
Ramôa, C., Pires, P., & Añaña, E. (2021). Motorcycle Tourism and Nature: an analysis of motorcyclists' motivations to travel. Leisure Studies, 40, 407 - 423. https://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2020.1858327.
Rantala, O., Røkenes, A., & Valkonen, J. (2018). Is adventure tourism a coherent concept? A review of research approaches on adventure tourism. Annals of Leisure Research, 21(5), 539–552. https://doi.org/10.1080/11745398.2016.1250647
Ross, S., & Wall, G. (1999). Ecotourism: towards congruence between theory and practice. Tourism Management, 20, 123-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(98)00098-3.
Sampaio, S. (2014). Watching narratives of travel-as-transformation in The Beach and The Motorcycle Diaries. Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 12(2), 184–199. https://doi.org/10.1080/14766825.2014.915094
Scherhag, K., Gross, S., & Sand, M. (2022). Adventures on two wheels – Comparative study of motorcycle adventure tourists in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Zeitschrift für Tourismuswissenschaft, 14, 303 - 332. https://doi.org/10.1515/tw-2022-0017
Scuttari, A. (2021). Tourism experiences in motion. Mobile, visual and psychophysiological methods to capture tourists “on the move.” Tourism Management Perspectives, 38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2021.100825
Sharpley, R. (2000). Tourism and Sustainable Development: Exploring the Theoretical Divide. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 8, 1 - 19. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580008667346.
Sharpley, R. (2020). Tourism, sustainable development and the theoretical divide: 20 years on. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 28, 1932 - 1946. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1779732.
Sharpley, R. (2021). Tourism and Development Theory: Which Way Now? Tourism Planning & Development, 19, 1 - 12. https://doi.org/10.1080/21568316.2021.2021475.
Sidali, K., Kastenholz, E., & Bianchi, R. (2015). Food tourism, niche markets and products in rural tourism: combining the intimacy model and the experience economy as a rural development strategy. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23, 1179 - 1197. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2013.836210.
Siddaway, A., Wood, A., & Hedges, L. (2019). How to Do a Systematic Review: A Best Practice Guide for Conducting and Reporting Narrative Reviews, Meta-Analyses, and Meta-Syntheses. Annual review of psychology, 70, 747–770. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102803.
Singh, V., Mayr, P., Leta, J., Singh, P., & Karmakar, M. (2020). The journal coverage of Web of Science, Scopus and Dimensions: A comparative analysis. Scientometrics, 126, 5113 - 5142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-021-03948-5
Smith, V. L. (1989). Hosts and guests: The anthropology of tourism. University of Pennsylvania Press.
Spenceley, A., & Meyer, D. (2012). Tourism and poverty reduction: theory and practice in less economically developed countries. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 20, 297 - 317. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2012.668909.
Stone, P. (2005). Book Review: Niche Tourism: Contemporary Issues, Trends and Cases. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 11, 191 - 192. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356766705052575.
Sykes, D., & Kelly, K. (2014). Motorcycle tourism demand generators and dynamic interaction leisure. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, 8, 92-102. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCTHR-05-2013-0035.
Sykes, D., & Kelly, K. (2016). Motorcycle drive tourism leading to rural tourism opportunities. Tourism Economics, 22(3), 543–561. https://doi.org/10.5367/te.2015.0475
Thompson, M., & Prideaux, B. (2023). Key Lessons in Developing Successful Drive Tourism in a Peripheral Destination (pp. 63–81). Emerald Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1108/s1745-354220230000019004
Tripathi, A., & Shaheer, I. (2024). Missing tales of motorcycle backpackers. Tourism Recreation Research, 49(3), 671–675. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2022.2059738
Turner, L., & Calero, C. (2019). Regional economic development and tourism: A literature review to highlight future directions for regional tourism research. Tourism Economics, 26, 26 - 3. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354816619881244.
Vada, S., Dupré, K., & Zhang, Y. (2022). Route tourism: a narrative literature review. Current Issues in Tourism, 26, 879 - 889. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2022.2151420.
Van Eck, N. J., & Waltman, L. (2010). Software for bibliometric mapping: The VOSviewer Perspective. Scientometrics, 84(2), 523–538. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-009-0146-3.
Wang, Z., & Yang, L. (2021). The impact of smart tourism on tourism development in China. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 20, 100610. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2021.100610
Williams, R., Clark, L., Clark, W., & Raffo, D. (2020). Re-examining systematic literature review in management research: Additional benefits and execution protocols. European Management Journal. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.EMJ.2020.09.007.
Wondirad, A., Tolkach, D., & King, B. (2020). Stakeholder collaboration as a major factor for sustainable ecotourism development in developing countries. Tourism Management, 78, 104024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2019.104024.
Wragg, J. (2022). Heroes and Pilgrims: An Autoethnographic exploration of adventure motorcycle travel. Zeitschrift für Tourismuswissenschaft, 14(3), 351–368. https://doi.org/10.1515/tw-2022-0015
Xiao, Y., & Watson, M. (2017). Guidance on Conducting a Systematic Literature Review. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 39, 112 - 93. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X17723971
Xu, L., Ao, C., Liu, B., & Cai, Z. (2022). Ecotourism and sustainable development: a scientometric review of global research trends. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 25, 2977 - 3003. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-022-02190-0.
Zhu, J., & Liu, W. (2020). A tale of two databases: the use of Web of Science and Scopus in academic papers. Scientometrics, 123, 321 - 335. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-020-03387-8.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Millenium - Journal of Education, Technologies, and Health
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who submit proposals for this journal agree to the following terms:
a) Articles are published under the Licença Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0), in full open-access, without any cost or fees of any kind to the author or the reader;
b) The authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication, allowing the free sharing of work, provided it is correctly attributed the authorship and initial publication in this journal;
c) The authors are permitted to take on additional contracts separately for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in this journal (eg, post it to an institutional repository or as a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal;
d) Authors are permitted and encouraged to publish and distribute their work online (eg, in institutional repositories or on their website) as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as increase the impact and citation of published work
Documents required for submission
Article template (Editable format)
