sustainable nature-based recreation experiences by bridging the knowledge gap between experience design and sustainability theory to address unsustainable and irresponsible trends. The research design follows a review approach combining a systematic literature review and scientometric analysis. The statistical population consists of 94 articles obtained from the Scopus and Web of Science databases between 2008 and 2025, screened according to the PRISMA procedure. Data analysis was performed using VOSviewer and MAXQDA software.
The scientometric findings indicate that publications began emerging in 2008 and have reached their peak over the past five years. Furthermore, experience design, sustainable tourism, nature-based tourism, and satisfaction have formed the core keywords and thematic clusters. Key findings from the systematic literature review include the introduction of a proposed framework for designing sustainable experiences comprising antecedents (individual and destination drivers), process (value co-creation, interactive learning, environmental commitment, personalized experience, and innovation), and outcomes (meaningful visitor experiences and destination sustainability). The results show that value co-creation enhances local ecosystem sustainability, supports the creation of meaningful and memorable experiences, and addresses practical gaps in responsible management and sustainable behavior.
The value and originality of this study lie in presenting, for the first time, a system-based, structural framework for designing sustainable nature-based recreation experiences, grounded in three key drivers being, antecedents, process, and outcomes, and their associated categories.