A bibliometric analysis of alternative medicine practices: insights for wellness tourism and culinary health studies

Abstract

This study aims to explore the scientific landscape of alternative medicine practices through bibliometric analysis and to interpret their relevance and potential contributions to wellness tourism and culinary health research. A bibliometric analysis was conducted on publications indexed in the Web of Science database from 1980 to 2024 using the search term “alternative medicine practices” in all fields. VOSviewer software was employed to analyse trends in publication volume, leading countries, institutions, authorship networks, and keyword occurrences. The analysis identified 13 thematic clusters, mainly focused on integrative medicine, mind-body therapies, oncology, and primary care. Particular attention was given to how the identified clusters and trends intersect with tourism and gastronomy. Indirect associations with tourism and gastronomy reflected in education, nutrition, and wellness-related terms were also detected, though their representation remains limited. The number of publications increased steadily from 1980 to 2021, with a notable surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting intensified interest in holistic health, preventive care, and dietary well-being. The findings indicate that alternative medicine practices research remains predominantly biomedical but shows emerging bridges with experiential domains such as wellness tourism and culinary health. These insights provide a basis for future interdisciplinary studies linking health, food, and tourism within integrative frameworks.