Analysis of Almaty’s Restaurant Reviews through Topic Modelling

Authors

Abstract

This research investigates customers’ reviews of the restaurant sector in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Although Kazakhstan offers unique foods, beverages, and establishments, few studies have investigated customers’ reviews of the restaurant business. Hence, this is a pioneering study examining problems and concerns of the restaurant sector in the eyes of customers in Almaty, Kazakhstan by implementing big data analysis. The scraped dataset from the TripAdvisor website contains more than 13,000 restaurant reviews in different languages between 2010 through 2023. Generally, English and Russian are the two dominant languages used in reviews in Almaty. Text mining techniques of topic modelling and sentiment analysis are applied in order to derive and understand the main focuses, problems, and concerns of restaurant customers. To do this the collected data between 2010–2023 is split into two roughly equal datasets that cover the periods between 2010–2017 and 2018–2023, respectively. It is revealed that while restaurant customers were less satisfied with the service process, the most positive reviews, written in both English and Russian, were obtained for the topic ‘Atmosphere and Events’. Considering the service process as a holistic process, analysing the conditions affecting good service delivery and making improvements will urge restaurant customers to form positive opinions. This study provides an opportunity for managerial, operational, and marketing departments in Almaty to improve the restaurant business in the eyes of customers. Since no precise information about the themes of the restaurants is available on the restaurant pages, no thematic distinction could be provided.
Keywords: restaurant, online reviews, text mining, topic modelling, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Author Biographies

Alper Kürşat Uysal, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Alanya, Turkey

Associate Professor in Department of Computer Engineering in Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Alanya, Turkey

Madina Abdikarimova Nurbulatovna, International University of Tourism and Hospitality, Turkestan, Kazakhstan

Doctor in International University of Tourism and Hospitality, Turkestan, Kazakhstan

Murat Alper Başaran, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Alanya, Turkey

Professor Dr. in Department of Industrial Engineering, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Alanya, Turkey

Kemal Kantarcı, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Alanya, Turkey

Professor Dr. in Department of Tourism Management, Faculty of Tourism, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Alanya, Turkey

Turganbai Abdrassilov Kurmanbaevich, International University of Tourism and Hospitality, Turkestan, Kazakhstan

Doctor in International University of Tourism and Hospitality, Turkestan, Kazakhstan.

Kultay Adilova Agytaevna, International University of Tourism and Hospitality, Turkestan, Kazakhstan

Doctor in International University of Tourism and Hospitality, Turkestan, Kazakhstan

Kainar Kaldybay Kaldybayulu, Ahmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Turkestan, Kazakhstan

Doctor in Ahmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Turkestan, Kazakhstan

Karlygash Aralbekova Amirovna, International University of Tourism and Hospitality, Turkestan, Kazakhstan

Doctor in International University of Tourism and Hospitality, Turkestan, Kazakhstan

Nurzhan Abdirazakov, International University of Tourism and Hospitality, Turkestan, Kazakhstan

Lecturer in International University of Tourism and Hospitality, Turkestan, Kazakhstan

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Published

2024-09-16

How to Cite

Uysal, A. K., Tükenmez, E. G., Nurbulatovna, M. A., Başaran, M. A., Kantarcı, K., Kurmanbaevich, T. A., … Abdirazakov, N. (2024). Analysis of Almaty’s Restaurant Reviews through Topic Modelling. Academica Turistica - Tourism and Innovation Journal, 17(2). Retrieved from https://academica.turistica.si/index.php/AT-TIJ/article/view/724

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 2 (2024): Academica Turistica - Tourism & Innovation Journal

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2024 Alper Kürşat Uysal, Egemen Güneş Tükenmez, Madina Abdikarimova Nurbulatovna, Murat Alper Başaran, Kemal Kantarcı, Turganbai Abdrassilov Kurmanbaevich, Kultay Adilova Agytaevna, Kainar Kaldybay Kaldybayulu, Karlygash Aralbekova Amirovna, Nurzhan Abdirazakov

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