Network approach to tourist segmentation via user generated content

Juan M Hernandez (), Andrei P. Kirilenko and Svetlana Stepchenkova

Annals of Tourism Research, 2018, vol. 73, issue C, 35-47

Abstract: The study contributes to the tourism literature by demonstrating an approach to segmenting tourists using network analysis with user-generated content. Online reviews of destination attractions are considered as a proxy for visitation data reflective of tourists’ interests. The connectivity between attractions is represented with a network of links created by tourists visiting and reviewing multiple attractions. Attraction clusters are revealed by segmenting this network using network analysis tools. Two segmentation solutions are provided: a posteriori, in which only review information is taken into account, and mixed, in which tourist groups are defined a priori by their travel interests and age, and this information is combined with visitation information. The findings are validated using geovisualization and by comparing them with randomly simulated models.

Keywords: Attractions; Network analysis; Social networks; Tourist segmentation; User-generated content (UGC) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:anture:v:73:y:2018:i:c:p:35-47

DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2018.09.002

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