Textual extension in online reviews of tourist attractions

an analysis between detractors and promoters on the route of emotions

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7784/rbtur.v20.3384

Keywords:

Online reviews, TripAdvisor, Non-parametric statistics, Digital tourism, Route of Emotions

Abstract

Sun-and-beach tourism is a key economic activity in Brazil’s Northeast, particularly along the "Route of Emotions" (Ceará, Piauí, and Maranhão). With the rise of platforms like TripAdvisor, online reviews have become essential for travel planning. This study aimed to test the theoretical premise that rating polarity (positive vs. negative) influences the textual length of online reviews. It investigates whether there is a significant difference in review length between detractors (ratings 1 and 2) and promoters (ratings 4 and 5) in comments about tourist attractions along the Route of Emotions. A total of 2,637 public reviews were collected, cleaned, and outliers were excluded using Mahalanobis distance. Statistical analysis included the Shapiro-Wilk test and the Mann-Whitney test. Results showed no statistically significant difference in review length between detractors and promoters. The study advances by empirically demonstrating that theoretical models based on negativity bias and cognitive dissonance, mostly built in contexts of tangible goods consumption, do not hold when applied to high-emotional involvement tourism experiences — suggesting that the type of experience (hedonic vs. utilitarian) is a relevant moderator of the relationship between polarity and textual length. The study contributes to understanding online review dynamics, suggesting that textual engagement is a complex phenomenon, possibly influenced by the affective involvement with the destination. The dataset and analysis script are publicly available on GitHub (CC BY 4.0). Future research is encouraged to incorporate content analysis and reviewer profiles.

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Author Biographies

Breno dos Santos-Rodrigues, Universidade Federal do Paraná

Mestrando em Turismo pela Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), vinculado à linha de pesquisa Organizações Turísticas, Públicas e Privadas (OTPP). Possui MBA em Hotelaria Hospitalar pela Faculdade Iguaçu e é Bacharel em Turismo pela Universidade Federal do Delta do Parnaíba (UFDPar). Desenvolve estudos voltados ao comportamento do consumidor e marketing digital, com foco em destinos costeiros e fidelização, contribuindo para a produção científica da área. Contribuições: Conceituação, Curadoria de dados, Análise formal, Obtenção de financiamento, Metodologia, Visualização, Redação do manuscrito, Redação - revisão e edição.

Andre Riani Costa Perinotto, Universidade Federal do Delta do Parnaíba

Doutor em Ciências da Comunicação (UNISINOS/RS), Professor Associado em Turismo na UFDPar e Professor Permanente dos Programas de Pós-Graduação em Turismo (UFPR) e Psicologia (UFDPar). Bolsista de Produtividade CNPq (PQ) e Pesquisador Destaque ANPTUR 2022. Finalista do Prêmio Nacional do Turismo (2019; 2025). Líder do Grupo MiComT (UFDPar/CNPq) e pesquisador colaborador da Universidade da Coruña (Espanha). Conselheiro do Conselho Estadual de Turismo do Piauí. Contribuições: Conceituação, Curadoria de dados, Análise formal, Investigação, Metodologia, Administração do projeto, Recursos, Supervisão, Validação, Visualização, Redação do manuscrito original, Redação - revisão e edição.

Francisco Henrique Bezerril de Lima, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Doutorando e Mestre em Turismo pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). Graduado em Turismo pela Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte (UERN). Atua em pesquisas voltadas ao setor turístico e análise de dados. Contribuições: Conceituação, Análise formal, Visualização, edação do manuscrito original, Redação - revisão e edição.

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Published

2026-08-26

How to Cite

Santos-Rodrigues, B. dos, Perinotto, A. R. C., & Lima, F. H. B. de. (2026). Textual extension in online reviews of tourist attractions: an analysis between detractors and promoters on the route of emotions. Revista Brasileira De Pesquisa Em Turismo, 20, 3384. https://doi.org/10.7784/rbtur.v20.3384

Issue

Vol. 20 (2026)

Section

Articles - Tourism and Society

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Breno dos Santos Rodrigues, Andre Riani Costa Perinotto, Francisco Henrique Bezerril de Lima

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