Traveller sentiment and spending data are an unbeatable duo of insights for destinations seeking to promote more sustainable tourism and manage resources more efficiently.
Why?
On one hand, tourists’ opinions create a collective narrative that shapes the public reputation of a destination. On the other hand, their spending has a powerful impact on the local economy and the lives of residents.
So, DMOs tracking both sentiment and spending behaviours can accurately define the profile of its visitors and promote offers and experiences that support sustainable growth for the destination.
Hannah Babineau, Head of Partnerships at Data Appeal, explained in the latest webinar with the European Tourism Association (ETOA): “Connecting sentiment and spending data allows destinations to focus on the right visitors—those who contribute more to the economy, typically stay longer, and align with the destination’s goals.”
In this article, we’ll look at the top five ways a destination can leverage sentiment and spending data to promote sustainable tourism:
Tourist sentiment and spending: what they mean, how to measure them, and why they matter
Sentiment refers to the opinions shared online by visitors regarding the activities and attractions of a city, country, or destination.
Reviews and comments on platforms such as Instagram, Google, or TripAdvisor significantly impact people’s travel choices and purchasing decisions.
We perceive a place through the experiences of those who have been there. We link images of beaches, local cuisine, landmarks, and tourist reviews to that location. In doing so, we form an opinion about it long before we actually visit.
That’s why analysing sentiment—understanding how and why it changes over time, and how it compares to competitors—is crucial for any destination. With this information, DMOs can improve services and infrastructure, exceed visitor expectations, and align outcomes with their goals.
Meanwhile, spending data reveals how and how much visitors spend during their trips, which is essential information for refining traveller profiles.
For example:
- What types of activities do people prefer to spend on?
- Where do the visitors who spend the most come from?
- Does spending behaviour vary based on where people are from?
Sentiment and spending are two sides of the same coin, closely linked, because the way people spend is a tangible reflection of their appreciation for a destination.
Analysing the combination of these factors will help the destination better understand its visitors and carry out more effective marketing initiatives and flow management strategies.
How to promote sustainable tourism: 5 data-driven strategies
1 – Focus on quality rather than quantity: identify high-value travellers and markets
An emerging trend in destination management is the effort by DMOs to redefine the concept of success. Rather than focusing on volume—such as the number of arrivals or overnight stays—tourism boards are shifting their attention to visitors who have the greatest impact on the economy, community, and environment of their destination. Essentially, they are seeking data to identify and attract high-value visitors who align with their priorities.
This represents a shift from quantity to quality.
Understanding where short-term visitors come from versus those who prefer longer stays allows destinations to focus their marketing efforts on attracting travellers who bring greater value, while minimising environmental and social impact.
2 – Promote lesser-known areas and diversify the offerings
Identifying areas with high sentiment but low spending helps pinpoint tourist hotspots with untapped potential, away from the usual tourist paths.
As destinations focus on the quality of visitors, tourists themselves are evolving.
They no longer identify with the “tourist” who just wants to visit museums and main squares. Instead, they appreciate more experiential and authentic travels. They stay in less commercial areas, try cooking classes, go on hiking or cycling excursions, and even participate in volunteer activities within local communities. Therefore, it is crucial for destinations to identify these trends and align demand with visitors’ interests.
This is a great starting point not only to meet the growing demands of more discerning tourists but also to create promotional campaigns, offers, and alternative itineraries that help the destination reduce pressure in overcrowded areas and promote more balanced economic development across the entire region.
Success story: Seville
Seville turned to the destination management platform D / AI Destinations to identify tourist areas with a good density of points of interest (POI) and a high level of positive sentiment, away from the more popular areas, to invest in expanding and diversifying its tourism offerings.
This strategy aims to prevent overcrowding in the city centre and promote more balanced development across the various areas of the city.
3 – Extend the tourist season
Extending the high season or encouraging visitors to book during off-peak periods is a key challenge for tourism destinations.
Once again, this is about fostering more sustainable tourism.
Using data to uncover seasonal spending patterns and sentiment trends will help identify opportunities for promotion during off-peak periods.
For example, if your destination is well-known for its cuisine and gourmet restaurants, hosting a food and wine festival during the off-season and promoting it in the most relevant markets could persuade hesitant travellers to book during quieter months.
This will support year-round tourism, helping local businesses during traditionally slower periods.
4 – Personalise the experience to enhance visitor satisfaction
Sentiment and spending data are essential for enriching the destination’s “target personas” with more accurate information.
Understanding which activities, accommodations, and restaurants are preferred by target markets will help destinations and operators tailor their offerings to these preferences, exceeding expectations while simultaneously improving reputation, encouraging repeat visits, and fostering positive word-of-mouth.
5 – Involve residents and operators in decision-making and raise awareness among tourists about responsible behaviours
Having real-time, up-to-date reports on sentiment and tourist spending trends gives destinations the opportunity to engage and motivate all stakeholders—namely, operators, residents, and visitors.
- OPERATORS: Sentiment and spending data are crucial for keeping operators informed and trained, enabling collaboration to build and promote a more welcoming and sustainable destination.
- RESIDENTS: Understanding the flow of visitors and their behaviours allows institutions and the destination to act promptly to reduce stress on residents, as well as plan and communicate initiatives and investments that preserve local culture and wealth for the benefit of all citizens.
- VISITORS: Gaining a deeper understanding of where visitors are from, their needs, and their desires helps the destination create communication campaigns aimed at encouraging more responsible and sustainable behaviours.
Practical example: how sentiment and spending data reflect tourists’ experiences in Milan
In the ETOA webinar, Hannah Babineau revealed exclusive sentiment and spending data on Milan from our D / AI Destinations platform, demonstrating how such data can help destinations pursue sustainable practices.
Milan’s sentiment is exceptionally positive and rising, which signals that the destination is closely in tune with the needs of travellers.
Minor drops in sentiment are only recorded during peak tourist periods, such as the end of the year and Ferragosto—a traditional Italian holiday on August 15th, marking the peak of summer when many Italians take time off work to go on vacation.
The platform allows for very detailed comparative analyses of visitors: here, for example, we compared the sentiment and opinions of French and German tourists regarding Milan’s hospitality sector.
While the French show higher sentiment, they criticise the costs and the internet connection. In contrast, the German reviews don’t highlight any particularly critical points.
Download the webinar slides, for free!
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