Abstract
Researchers in the tourism industry and academics are interested in analysing and extracting conclusions from user-generated data because they offer valuable insights into visitors’ motives, experiences, and consumption behaviour. However, religious tourists’ data have rarely been explored specifically in segmentation studies. Therefore, this study aims to segment religious tourists based on their Google Map reviews using Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) and hierarchical clustering. These analyses have resulted in three distinct segments: heritage explorers, aesthetes, and self-transcendence seekers. While heritage explorers are interested in learning about the cultural and historical significance of a site, aesthetes appreciate its beauty and art, while self-transcendence seekers seek spiritual or personal growth through their visits to the site. Thus, the findings suggest that combining LSA and hierarchical clustering can effectively segment religious tourists based on their Google Map reviews. This study is original in its focus on segmenting religious tourists, and provides valuable insights for policymakers, destination management organisations, and tourism operators. These insights can improve the overall experience of the identified religious tourist clusters.
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Recommended Citation
Piramanayagam, Senthilkumaran; Mallya, Jyothi; and Bolar, Kartikeya
(2026)
"Segmenting Religious Tourists based on Google Maps Reviews using Latent Semantic Analysis and Hierarchical Clustering,"
International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage:
Vol. 13:
Iss.
4, Article 3.
Available at:
https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijrtp/vol13/iss4/3