Analysis of the online public opinion on the web platform Tripadvisor on Spain's industrial mining heritage by structuring the data for sentiment analysis.

Abstract

This study examines visitors' perceptions of industrial mining heritage in Spain, a sector of significant cultural and economic value that has led to the establishment of museums and mining parks, which have been transformed into tourism products. Using text mining and natural language processing techniques, Tripadvisor’s online reviews of nine industrial mining heritage resources distributed across different autonomous communities in Spain were analysed. The primary objective was to investigate how visitors describe and evaluate their experiences at these sites. The results indicated a generally positive perception, with visitors frequently citing terms such as "interesting," "recommendable," and "spectacular." However, critical points were also identified, particularly in relation to the duration and physical demands of the visits. This study highlights the educational and aesthetic importance of these sites, recognising their value in teaching the history of industrial mining and in offering cultural tourism.