A Structured Review of the Blue Economy: Insights into Tourism and Food field

Abstract

The growing interest in the sustainability and responsible management of marine resources has catalysed attention on the emerging topic of the Blue Economy. However, the current literature still lacks an in-depth analysis of the connections between the different research areas that make up this field. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring the evolution of Blue Economy research with a specific focus on tourism and food while providing useful indications to guide future academic developments. The methodology adopted is a structured review of the literature (Tranfield et al., 2003; Petticrew and Roberts, 2006; Massaro et al., 2016; Kraus et al., 2020; Lombardi and Secundo, 2021) which allows the author to study the investigated topic in depth. The literature review provides an up-to-date perspective on the Blue Economy, with particular reference to tourism and food, highlighting the evolution of research in recent years. The results indicate that studies mainly focus on marine resource management, policies and socio-economic impacts. Concerning tourism and food, the literature highlights the role of tourism as a strategic lever to foster a Blue Economy approach and the importance of sustainable practices in supporting the adoption of supply chain strategies. The results of this review provide theoretical insights for academics and practitioners by highlighting the potential of the Blue Economy in the context of tourism and food. This study contributes by offering a review of the Blue Economy with a focus on tourism and food, highlighting gaps in the literature, and identifying avenues for future research.