Green Economy-Based Ecotourism and Digital Gamification Strategy: A Systematic Review in the Context of Sustainable Business Transformation

Abstract

The global shift toward sustainability and digitalization has accelerated the need for integrated transformation strategies across industries, including tourism. Ecotourism, as a sustainability-oriented tourism model, plays a strategic role in promoting environmental conservation while generating economic value for regional development. At the same time, digital technologies—particularly gamification and smart tourism systems—are reshaping customer engagement and business competitiveness. However, limited studies comprehensively integrate green economy principles and digital innovation within a unified sustainable business transformation framework.

This study aims to systematically review existing literature on green economy-based ecotourism and digital gamification strategies in the context of twin transition (green and digital transformation). Using a PRISMA-based systematic review approach, relevant peer-reviewed articles were identified, screened, and analyzed to examine research trends, methodological patterns, and assessment frameworks. The findings reveal that while sustainability and digital transformation have been widely studied separately, empirical integration remains limited. Literature is dominated by conceptual and qualitative studies, with relatively few quantitative evaluations of long-term economic and environmental performance.

The review identifies key frameworks used in assessing twin transition, including Triple Bottom Line (TBL), Sustainable Business Model Canvas (SBMC), ESG frameworks, and digital transformation models. The study proposes an integrated conceptual framework linking green economy principles, digital gamification strategies, and sustainable competitive advantage in ecotourism businesses.

This research contributes to the literature on sustainable business transformation by highlighting research gaps and providing strategic insights for policymakers, tourism entrepreneurs, and digital business practitioners seeking to implement environmentally responsible and digitally enabled tourism models.