Ewom e territorialidades virtuais: uma análise de comunidades online a partir do território turístico da Chapada dos Veadeiros, Centro-Oeste do Brasil

Abstract

Electronic “word of mouth” in tourism is a communicative online guidance of information among consumer peers who want to undertake travel and understand more about tourism products and destinations. There are numerous platforms and websites to “feed” on this information, and which are generically understood as online communities of consumers. However, there is a theoretical basis in academic literature that points out criteria for an interactive platform or website to fit as an “online community.” Such members of this specific type of community can develop a sense of belonging and control over some geographic territory from social and identity representations generated by interactions in cyberspace's virtual territories. The Facebook group “Chapada dos Veadeiros – information, tips and company” is a community made up of future and experienced ecotourists, as well as hosts and small local entrepreneurs who communicate openly about the trip to Chapada's tourist destination. Of the Stags. The online interactions of these communicators are analyzed comparing them to the Google Maps evaluation platform. For this purpose, netnography principles were used with the aid of the Iramuteq software to arrive at the elucidated notes, based on eight natural attractions of the tourist territory of the destination. The results reveal relevant similarities and differences in the interactive dynamics between members as well as in the contents emitted in the communications plot.