TRACING THE PATH OF MILITARY TOURISM: WHAT IS IT, AND WHERE IS IT HEADING?

Resumo

In light of the Ukrainian War's impact, this study explores the surge in Military Tourism's popularity among both tourists and academics. The objective is to shed light on the evolving Military Tourism landscape and lay the groundwork for future research. The study's methodology combines a systematic literature review with a comprehensive synthesis of findings to offer a comprehensive overview of Military Tourism. The state-of-the-art in this field, based on the 78 papers, is developed using two frameworks: Theories, Contexts, and Methodologies (TCM) and Antecedents, Decisions, and Outcomes (ADO). Results suggest that the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Experience Behavioral Model are more popular, and that most studies are conducted with university students, tour guides, tourists, and museum directors. Military Tourism has personal and educational purposes. Family, childhood memories, and military experience all influence this type of tourism. Educational antecedents included learning about a war, storytelling, and patriotic education. This research offers insights for educators, policymakers, and military heritage site managers, as findings can inform curriculum development for military history and heritage programs, aligning them with tourists' interests and educational objectives. This study significantly enriches the field of Military Tourism research. By presenting a thorough review of research papers and synthesizing findings through the TCM and ADO frameworks, it offers a unique and valuable perspective on this emerging domain. It identifies dominant theoretical models, diverse research methodologies, and the personal and educational motivations underpinning Military Tourism.