Exploring Tourist Movement in Central Java Using Network Science and Sentiment Analysis

Tourism is a key driver of economic development in Indonesia, with historic sites such as Borobudur and Prambanan playing a significant role in attracting visitors. Understanding tourist movement patterns and sentiments is crucial for optimizing visitor experiences and enhancing tourism efficiency. This study integrates network science and sentiment analysis to examine tourist perceptions and movements in Central Java based on reviews from Google Maps and TripAdvisor. Using Natural Language Processing (NLP), sentiment analysis identifies that Borobudur and Prambanan receive overwhelmingly positive feedback, with key themes including “temple,” “complex,” and “sunrise.” The network analysis further identifies Pawon Temple as a central node in tourist movement, suggesting the need for improved infrastructure and strategic marketing. Quantitative findings reveal that 77.2 % of Borobudur reviews and 76.2 % of Prambanan reviews are positive, while Pawon Temple shows high degree centrality (1.63) and betweenness centrality (0.055) in the tourist network. These insights provide valuable recommendations for policymakers, destination managers, and digital tourism platforms such as Jasirah, enabling evidencebased strategies for the sustainable development of cultural and historical tourism in Central Java.