Scales and indicators of sustainable tourism in organizations: gaps, advances, and perspectives from a systematic review

Sustainability in tourism has shifted from being a competitive advantage to becoming a strategic imperative. The rapid growth of global tourism reinforces the urgency of sustainable strategies that integrate economic, sociocultural, and environmental dimensions in a balanced manner. In light of the challenges posed by environmental degradation and increasing pressure on natural resources, this study aims to identify Sustainable Tourism Indicators (STIs) and measurement scales used to assess and monitor tourism impacts through a systematic review based on the PRISMA protocol. A total of 122 articles published between 2007 and 2024 in the Web of Science and Scopus databases were selected. The analysis is organized into two sections: the first discusses the application of STIs at the destination level; the second focuses on adapting these tools to the organizational context. Although most studies emphasize the macro level (destinations), there is a growing recognition of sustainability at the micro level (organizations), especially in the efficient management of resources. The findings reveal a predominance of the environmental dimension over the economic and sociocultural dimensions, as well as the absence of validated scales that integrate all three sustainability pillars within organizational settings. Additional challenges include low methodological replicability and the need to adapt indicators to varied organizational contexts. The review also highlights the importance of participatory governance and the adoption of emerging technologies. This study contributes to the theoretical and methodological advancement of the field by identifying existing gaps and recommending the development of more flexible, statistically validated STIs aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with an expanded focus on the organizational level.