¿Fans o turistas accidentales? Perfil de los visitantes del turismo cinematográfico en parques temáticos western a través de reseñas en línea

Vivian C. Medina-Hernandez; Assumpció Huertas; Estela  Marine-Roig; Berta Ferrer-Rosell

doi:10.4185/rlcs-2026-2672

Authors

Vivian C. Medina-Hernandez Universitat de Lleida https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6791-6799
Assumpció Huertas Universitat Rovira i Virgili https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6684-4220
Estela Marine-Roig Universitat de Lleida https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3275-0135
Berta Ferrer-Rosell Universitat de Lleida https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5554-0782

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4185/rlcs-2026-2672

Keywords:

Film tourism; Experience; Fans; Accidental tourists; Western; TripAdvisor; Online reviews

Abstract

Introduction: Film tourism has experienced significant growth in recent decades, influencing both destination attractiveness and tourist behaviour. However, existing literature has mainly focused on film-induced tourists, paying less attention to accidental film tourists. Methodology: This study analyses the profiles, motivations, experiences, satisfaction, perceived authenticity, and loyalty of visitors to two Western-themed parks in Almería (Spain): Fort Bravo–Texas Hollywood and Oasys–MiniHollywood. A mixed-methods approach is adopted, based on the analysis of 858 online reviews from TripAdvisor, combining qualitative content analysis and text-mining techniques. Results: The findings reveal a predominance of recreational and family-oriented narratives, many of which are not explicitly associated with cinematic motivations and do not allow for their direct classification as film tourism. Although fans represent a minority, they report higher levels of satisfaction, perceive greater authenticity, and show a stronger propensity to recommend or revisit the parks. Discussion: These results highlight the coexistence of heterogeneous visitor profiles and support the understanding of film tourism as a hybrid experience in which cinematic elements coexist with broader recreational uses. Conclusions: This study contributes to the film tourism literature by broadening the focus beyond film-induced tourists and incorporating visitors with varying levels of cinematic engagement.

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Author Biographies

Vivian C. Medina-Hernandez, Universitat de Lleida

Professor at the University of Lleida and researcher in the field of tourism. Her research focuses on analyzing user behavior on collaborative lodging platforms, sustainability, and tourism marketing. She has participated in research projects related to digital content analysis, online travel reviews, and demand segmentation. She combines her academic work with knowledge transfer and institutional collaboration in the field of tourism and regional development.

Assumpció Huertas , Universitat Rovira i Virgili

Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Rovira i Virgili University (Tarragona) and a member of the Asterisc research group at the same university. She teaches in the Master’s Program in Strategic Communication and the Master’s Program in Tourism Destination Management (URV). Her research focuses on communication and branding for tourist destinations, as well as various areas of public relations, communication, and tourism. She has participated in several research projects and has served as the principal investigator on projects. She has published in prestigious academic journals in both the fields of communication and tourism.

Estela Marine-Roig, Universitat de Lleida

Professor of Tourism Marketing at the University of Lleida (UdL) in Catalonia and associate professor in the Master’s Program in Sustainable Tourism and ICT at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC). She holds a European Ph.D. in Tourism and Leisure, a master’s degree in Tourism Management and Planning, a bachelor’s degree in Humanities, and a diploma in Tourism. In 2018, the Government of Catalonia awarded her the Tourism Medal for the best knowledge and research project. Her research interests include the analysis of destination imagery through online sources, particularly content generated by travelers.

Berta Ferrer-Rosell, Universitat de Lleida

Associate Professor (Serra Hunter) of Tourism Marketing at the University of Lleida and currently Vice Dean of International Relations and Mobility at the School of Law, Economics, and Tourism. She is co-editor-in-chief of the Revista de Análisis Turístico - Journal of Tourism Analysis (JTA) and a member of the AECIT board. Her research interests include the analysis of consumer and business behavior in digital environments and in the field of tourism.

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