| Sumario: | Background: Virtual field trips (VFTs), an innovative educational form, developed rapidly in recent years, driven by computer visualisation technologies. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, VFTs gained significant attention for their ability to transcend time and space. As offline activities resume, it is crucial to summarise and explore VFTs' educational potential and research directions in the post‐pandemic era. Objectives: This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature characterisation and systematic analysis of the research hotspots and development trends of VFTs to provide reference for researchers and practitioners. Methods: This study employed bibliometric and content analyses to investigate the characteristics of studies on VFTs from 2004 to 2024, indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. CiteSpace was utilised to perform collaboration network analysis, clustering, and burst detection. Results and Conclusions: The results indicated that between 2004 and 2024, research on VFTs showed a growing trend. Key nations of publishing and research strength were from the United States, China, and the United Kingdom. Research on VFTs predominantly focused on geology, while climate change emerged as another popular theme. The tools supporting VFTs primarily include content creation, content viewing, and content distribution tools, as well as the implementation forms of VFTs, namely digital information platforms, online courses, and virtual 3D worlds. Over the past two decades, studies have centred not only on the advantages and effectiveness of VFTs but also on teaching strategies tailored to factors that impact student learning outcomes. The field has evolved through stages of the Emergent Phase, the Focused Phase, and the Deepening Phase, shifting from technological exploration to learner experience and, subsequently, to the integration of educational theory. Future research should focus on multi‐sensory experiences, instructor competency and integrating teaching theories. Lay Summary: What is currently known about this topic? ○Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) have emerged as a prominent topic in global education.○While many studies have been conducted on VFTs, a systematic and comprehensive review of the existing research remains lacking.What does this paper add? ○This paper outlines the development trends in the volume of VFTs research over the past two decades, as well as the leading regions in the field.○It identifies the popular themes, the frequently used supporting tools, and the typical implementation formats of VFTs.○It synthesises the advantages and limitations of VFTs, their impact on learners' experiences and learning outcomes, and the teaching strategies associated with their use.○It helps catch developmental stages and evolving research hotspots.Implications for practice and/or policy ○Researchers need to further advance research on multisensory immersive VFTs, the relationship between teacher competence and the implementation effectiveness of VFT outcomes, and the integration of learning theories with VFTs.○Educational practitioners should systematically integrate VFTs into classroom teaching by combining teaching theory with practice and considering students' cognitive and emotional needs. Such an approach can enhance immersive learning experiences, ensure scientifically grounded instruction, and avoid monotonous teaching.○Policymakers and curriculum designers should clarify the role of VFTs in educational programs, leveraging their flexibility and accessibility while better balancing and integrating the value of VFTs with that of authentic, real field trips.
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