Norms and consumer behaviors in tourism: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to review norms and their relationship with consumer behavior in the tourism sector. The review aims to identify gaps in relation to various norms and their impact on the literature to provide future research recommendations. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review method was used to analyze norms in consumer behavior research within the context of tourism and hospitality. The review focused on the research context, conceptualizations, roles, measurements, theoretical backgrounds and the major findings. Findings The review reveals that the conceptualizations and dimensionality of norms in the existing studies are inconsistent, and most research in the tourism context only adopted the concept partially without capturing the totality of the concept. The theoretical gaps and measurement of norms were also identified for future research. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to a better understanding of the role of norms in shaping tourist behavior and can guide practitioners in developing effective marketing strategies. The findings suggest the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the concept of norms in tourism in relation to theoretical underpinnings, measurement and application. The recommendations provided in this study can guide future research on norms and tourist behavior. Originality/value Norms have been extensively discussed in the literature. This paper is the first to systematically review norms and their influence on consumer behavior in the tourism sector.