Tourists' opinions when visiting Samarkand (Uzbekistan): Analysis of reviews on Tripadvisor

Abstract

User-generated content and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) have become crucial sources of information for tourists over the past two decades. At the same time, tour operators and agencies are increasingly attentive to travelers’ opinions, reflecting shifting expectations and preferences in destination choice. This paper analyzes TripAdvisor reviews of Samarkand’s (Uzbekistan) main attractions, with the objective of identifying differences in ratings by attraction, travel type, and travelers’ region of origin. In addition, it explores the dominant themes, emotions, and issues reflected in visitors’ comments after visiting Samarkand, offering insight into perceived destination attributes. Using Maxqda and Leximancer software, 400 reviews of the eight most visited attractions in Samarkand were systematically analyzed through quantitative and qualitative content analysis. Results show that reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with only slight variations between attractions and regions of origin of travelers. Negative expressions were rare, while strong positive emotions and symbolic associations predominated accross narratives. The findings illustrate how eWOM reinforces the city’s reputation as a world-class heritage destination and highlights the symbolic role of online reviews in shaping cultural tourism perceptions. Furthermore, positive eWOM enhances Samarkand’s global competitiveness by strengthening its visibility, credibility, and appeal among potential visitors. Content analysis also reveals that travelers’ experiences are largely consistent across attractions, travel types, and regions of origin. These insights provide local authorities and tourism stakeholders with empirical evidence to strengthen Samarkand’s identity and attractiveness, supporting more effective and sustainable heritage tourism promotion strategies, and destination management policies in emerging cultural tourism contexts.