Natural Language Processing in the Tourism Industry of Oman: A Study on Bahla Fort

Tourism is considered a viable option for economic diversification to mitigate excessive dependence on oil and gas; yet the industry's present and future significance to Oman's economy is clear. Over the past five years, Oman's tourism sector has experienced significant transformations influenced by global events and strategic initiatives to improve the industry. Despite substantial investment and its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Bahla Fort has not emerged as a prominent tourist attraction in the Nizwa region. A thorough sentiment analysis of Bahla Fort could facilitate the customization of strategies to accord with visitor preferences and address their concerns. Using Natural Language Processing, this study seeks to find out the current perception of Bahla Fort. The prevalence of neutral sentiment, positive sentiment, and low negative sentiment, together with recurring positive terms such as “nice,” “well,” and “heritage,” suggests a largely favourable evaluation tempered by possible areas for improvement. Despite the overall good changes in attitudes, a comprehensive analysis of recommendations and subtle negative signs is essential for effecting substantial enhancements. This balanced approach ensures that feedback analysis highlights positives while also identifying actionable areas for enhancement.