The concept of “creative tourism”, emerging at the century’s start, responds to the “creative turn” in tourist destinations, aligning with the evolving creative class, clusters, and cities. This study employs a bibliometric analysis to examine the evolution and academic focus on creative tourism over the past two decades. Using databases like Scopus and Web of Science, we analyzed key trends, thematic developments, and the impact of creative industries on tourism. Our study reveals significant growth in creative tourism research, emphasizing creativity’s role in enhancing tourism experiences and formulating sustainable, culturally rich models. It underscores the importance of integrating creative industries into tourism and the positive impact on local economies and community development. This analysis not only maps the academic trajectory of creative tourism but also highlights its practical implications for future tourism management and sustainable community development.

The purpose of this study is to calculate the carbon footprint of the 2023 EuroLeague Men’s Final Four competition and identify the sources of the carbon footprint in sports. This study also aims to predict possible solutions to reduce this footprint. Mixed research methods were used in this study. Firstly, carbon footprint calculations related to the teams and fan travel were carried out. In the second step, interviews were conducted with the managers of the teams that won the basketball Final Four. The interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview. The total carbon footprint of the four teams participating in the competitions was calculated as 4560.25 kg, and the average of the total carbon footprint of the teams per person was calculated as 189.74 kg. The total carbon footprint of the fans of the four teams was calculated as 4065.686 kg, and the average of the total carbon footprint per capita of the fans was calculated as 3.003 kg. According to the interview findings, the carbon footprint sources in sports were identified as traveling, energy consumption, and waste generation. Turning to renewable energy sources, waste management and sustainable transport alternatives were identified as effective solutions for reducing the carbon footprint. Analysis of the research results showed that the interest and participation in the Final Four and other international organizations are increasing. Due to increasing carbon footprint, these events and competitions should be planned and conducted in accordance with the goals of environmental sustainability. For this purpose, managers and policy makers should turn to clean energy sources, including waste management and recycling strategies, the preparation of sustainable transportation projects, and integrating all these processes into organization activities.