The intersection between digital technologies and tourism emerges as a prominent area of research within the tourism industry. This is primarily driven by the immense complexity of digital tourism itself as a multifaceted social, economic, and cultural phenomenon. This paper reveals the future implications of tourism in the context of digital intelligence. To gain insights into the latest applications of digital tourism, this work reviews 278 studies spanning from 2012 to 2024. A systematic literature analysis method is proposed to identify the research hotspots and trends. Through value co-creation theory and Schumpeter’s innovation theory, five key trajectories are suggested, as follows: in-depth application of digital technologies in tourism, spawning new scenarios, new forms and new modes of digital tourism, and deep integration of digital economy and tourism real economy. This state-of-the-art review will help to reflect the efforts towards promoting the smart development of digital technologies in tourism.