Social tourism, aimed to provide travel and tourism opportunities for persons who are economically weak or otherwise disadvantaged, has emerged as a significant area of academic inquiry and policy interest. This paper develops a bibliometric analysis to explore the structure and development of social tourism literature. Based on publications indexed in the Web of Science database, the study employs bibliometric techniques to map the evolution, influential authors, collaboration, geographic distribution of research, and themes within the field. The analysis identifies influential authors and papers that shaped the investigation of social tourism, denoting collaboration networks and clusters of themes that characterise research on this topic. This investigation comprehends the development of social tourism research and proposes pathways for future research to enhance social equality and inclusivity. By mapping the intellectual structure of social tourism literature, this paper offers an overview that informs policymakers and researchers about the field’s current state and future directions. It underscores the importance of social tourism in addressing societal challenges and advancing inclusive tourism practices globally.