From reviews to reflections: Understanding tourist sentiments and satisfaction in African destinations through user-generated content

Abstract

User-generated content continues to shape global tourism trends, yet Africa's growing tourism sector has received limited attention. This study addresses this gap by investigating tourist sentiments and satisfaction across ten African destinations from 2018 to 2023. Employing a mixed method approach with advanced machine learning techniques, the results reveal generally positive sentiment, with both well-trodden and less-travelled destinations offering distinct experience and satisfaction. Among others, this study contributes to tourism research by expanding the focus to African destinations to capture evolving tourist sentiments.