Dimensions of sustainable tour experiences

Abstract

Tour operators are crucial to supply chain management within sustainable tourism. This research sought to identify sustainable tour dimensions from the tourists’ perspective. The sample comprised 878 post-experience online reviews of 20 tours across Portugal, written by tourists from different countries. Mixed content analysis methods (i.e., qualitative narrative and quantitative computer-assisted analyses) produced results used to generate a concept map of 12 themes: tour, guide, experience, hike, service, food, recommendation, fun, return, walk, difference, and wildlife. Each theme contains concepts related to service quality and experience dimensions. The findings provide a better understanding of how tourists perceive sustainable tour experiences.