Destination online reviews: lexicons and thematic arguments on social responsibility

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine online comments on destination social responsibility (DSR). Typically, visitors do not discuss their experiences in terms explicitly related to DSR. This study analyzes the natural language that visitors use and identifies connections to the dimensions of DSR (i.e. environmental, sociocultural and economic responsibility). The research objectives are to identify the lexicons of tourists and the thematic arguments related to DSR dimensions. This study also analyzes the association between those dimensions and tourist destination types. Design/methodology/approach This study reviewed 5,113 Tripadvisor comments about the top-ranking destinations in two countries. Expert judges used text mining techniques to explore lexicons and topics. Factor correspondence analysis was used to analyze the relationship between identified DSR thematic arguments and tourist destination types (e.g. nature, urban, culture and beach destinations). Findings Drawing from social identity theory and self-extension theoretical approaches, this study reveals that tourists share opinions using a lexicon of DSR dimensions. Interestingly, the results of this study identify five sub-dimensions in online reviews related to social responsibility in tourism destinations: environmental (i.e. “natural landscapes”), sociocultural (i.e. “cultural heritage” and “urban leisure and outdoor spaces”) and economic dimensions (i.e. “tourism services” and “guided tours and experiences”). This paper also describes associations between DSR lexicons, the reviews’ main sub-dimensions and destination types. Research limitations/implications The empirical study analyzes online reviews of top-ten tourism destinations in Spain and Argentina, countries with similar cultural backgrounds. Because of the focus on well-ranked destinations, this sample may exhibit a higher proportion of positive comments. However, the methodological contribution can extend to other destinations. This research can help researchers and destination managers understand the issues on which tourists comment in the context of their destination experiences and the three dimensions of DSR. Originality/value There is a lack of studies using natural language processing techniques to analyze the intersection between UGC and DSR; social media research has neglected this topic. This study integrates the five sub-dimensions the authors identified into a three-dimensional schema and enriches the classic DSR framework.