Current state of tourism research in China

• The study reviews the current state of tourism research in China.
• Research themes, methods, and authors' profile are reviewed and identified.
• Tourism demand issues dominate the research themes.
• Methodologically quantitative research overwhelms qualitative research.
• More female researchers are seen in younger generations.

This study presents the current state of tourism research in China by reviewing the information in 129 articles published in 2015 in Tourism Tribune as China's most representative tourism research publication outlet. Tourist behavior, destination image, tourism economic issues, and tourism marketing were found to be the frequently studied research themes, demonstrating a transition of research foci from industry supply to market demand issues. Nearly 60% of the articles applied quantitative research methods, indicating a shift toward positivism and post-positivism. A gender balance was found among the authors in the journal, largely due to a generational shift of the researchers witnessing more female authors in young age-groups. The findings depict a snapshot of tourism research in China and provide a shortcut for the international tourism academia to access tourism scholarship in China.