Research on the “Environmental and Economic Impacts of Mountain Tourism” has surfaced as a subject of significant global relevance over the last forty years. This study employs bibliometric analysis, the VOSviewer software, to examine the changing trends and intellectual framework of this discipline, covering the timeframe from the initial recorded publication in 1978 to the forecast for 2025. By using Scopus data, 287 refined documents were selected for bibliometric mapping analysis. The results indicate a distinct exponential increase, with a notable rise commencing in 2019, and the peak publication activity anticipated for 2025 (38 documents). The most frequently utilized keywords encompass "tourism," "tourism development," and "climate change," highlighting the significance of the climate nexus in research initiatives. The most prolific author, Scott, Daniel J. (H-index 69), is highlighted, though the author network is generally highly fragmented. The journal Sustainability Switzerland stands out as the most prolific publication outlet, while Tourism Management is the most prestigious. Leading institutions include the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Universität Innsbruck, with China acknowledged as the foremost nation in terms of publication volume, significantly contributing to the recent worldwide increase. The results indicate a marked and growing emphasis on the sustainable management of mountainous ecosystems, suggesting that this topic will continue to be a key area of discourse due to its importance in relation to global climate change and regional economic growth.