Exploring user generated content for beach resorts in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: A pre- and post-pandemic analysis

Abstract

The tourism industry plays a significant role in the economy of Bangladesh, particularly in the world-renowned coastal town of Cox’s Bazar. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted this sector, leading to substantial economic losses and shifts in customer satisfaction and behavior. This study aims to analyze the change in customer satisfaction in Cox’s Bazar hotels and resorts before and after the pandemic. In order to identify user-generated content from 9481 reviews from 11 hotels, Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC-22) software was used for text analysis, followed by factor analysis and regression analysis. The study highlights the increased importance of “Financial Stability” post-pandemic, likely due to price reductions and special offers. Additionally, “Digital Culture” and “Illness” emerged as new dissatisfaction factors. The insights offer valuable implications for businesses, policymakers, and tourism stakeholders to strategize effective customer service and foster sustainable recovery in the post-pandemic era.