<![CDATA[Studies in tourism governance have increasingly highlighted sustainability; however, academic focus tends to be predominantly on environmental and economic aspects, with insufficient attention given to the political dynamics influencing governance outcomes. This study seeks to transcend destination-centric perspectives by examining the integration of political discourses within academic research on tourism. A bibliometric analysis utilizing Scopus-indexed publications was performed to investigate publication trends, authorship networks, geographical distribution, and thematic evolution. The results indicate a significant rise in academic output since 2015, reflecting the increasing importance of tourism policy and scholarly domains. The representation of political governance topics, such as institutional authority, responsibility mechanisms, power relations, and stakeholder equity, is significantly lower than that of managerial and eco-centric approaches. Citation and co-authorship networks demonstrate significant of international researchers, thereby increasing scholarly visibility while raising issues related to epistemic dominance and establishing research agendas. Thematic mapping indicates a lack of theoretical consolidation in governance studies, with political elements often treated as secondary components. This research illustrates that governance issues in tourism are primarily political, stemming from negotiation processes concerning authority, legitimacy, and the allocation of benefits. Future research should incorporate political science perspectives, emphasize power-sensitive analytical frameworks, and broaden context-specific investigations into decentralized tourism governance to advance the field. This article enhances political discourse within sustainable tourism research and emphasizes the necessity for governance frameworks that promote transparency, inclusivity, and equitable development.]]>
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