Restructuring Golf Tourism Across the COVID-19 Transition: Social Big Data Insights for Sustainable Tourism Development

This study examines how the semantic structure of online golf tourism discourse evolved and was reconfigured across the COVID-19 transition. The study period was divided into three phases: pre-COVID-19 (1 January 2017–31 December 2019), the COVID-19 period (1 January 2020–31 May 2023), and the post-endemic period (1 June 2023–31 May 2026). After preprocessing unstructured online text, 60 keywords were selected for each period and analyzed using frequency analysis, degree and closeness centrality, semantic network analysis, CONCOR analysis, and Jaccard similarity. Before COVID-19, discourse reflected a conventional golf travel structure centered on domestic and overseas destinations, golf courses, accommodation, resorts, and package tours. During the pandemic, this structure remained visible, while health measures, entry requirements, and mobility restrictions became prominent, and Jeju Island gained greater structural prominence within the golf tourism discourse. In the post-endemic period, pandemic-specific restriction terms receded, while overseas destinations, especially in Japan and Vietnam, became differentiated at city and regional levels. Experiential and evaluative elements such as family, nature, culture, healing, relaxation, reviews, and value for money became more salient. CONCOR results indicated a shift from a destination- and product-oriented structure to pandemic-related mobility constraints and adaptation, followed by a diversified and experience-oriented configuration. Jaccard similarities were 0.579, 0.395, and 0.481 for the three pairwise comparisons, respectively, with the greatest lexical reconfiguration occurring from the COVID-19 period to the post-endemic period. Overall, online golf tourism discourse exhibited a pattern consistent with shock, adaptation, and reconfiguration rather than a simple return to its earlier semantic configuration, with implications for sustainable golf tourism planning through destination diversification, local linkages, and resilience-oriented management.