User Perceptions and Conservation Practices: A Case Study of Maintenance Strategies at S. Bento Railway Station

Abstract

Located in the heart of Porto, Portugal, the S. Bento train station is renowned worldwide for its architectural splendour and historical significance. Inaugurated in 1916, this UNESCO World Heritage Site presents stunning ceramic tile panels and architecture influenced by contemporary French design. This study presents a comprehensive historical analysis of the conservation state of S. Bento station, detailing observed anomalies, their origins, probable causes, and the maintenance and rehabilitation techniques employed over the years. Moreover, it explores the relationship between conservation practices and tourist perceptions of the station, focusing on how rehabilitation efforts influence user satisfaction. This analysis was carried out through a comprehensive sentiment analysis of over 4000 tourist reviews between 2011 and 2023, and data from the station management entity, providing insights into the effectiveness of these interventions. The research contributes to the broader discussion on heritage conservation, offering recommendations for future maintenance strategies that integrate user expectations and sentiment.

1. Introduction

Built during the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, the S. Bento railway station is a classified building of public interest, located in the heart of the historic centre of Porto, Portugal [1]. It was constructed on the site of the former and demolished convent of S. Bento de Ave Maria, a 16th-century property. The current construction began in 1900 under the project of Architect Marques da Silva, and it was inaugurated in 1915. The station features a U-shaped plan influenced by French architecture, with the main facade distinguished by a lower central body corresponding to the main atrium, flanked by two lateral towers.

This station ranks among the most visited in the country, attracting approximately 1.08 million passengers per month in 2019 (according to data from the management entity). Despite undergoing several maintenance interventions over the years, the station has experienced natural degradation, resulting in various anomalies—from equipment wear to infrastructural issues. Consequently, specific conservation actions were implemented to ensure the safety of users and workers, as well as to preserve this historic national building. This paper presents the characterization of the S. Bento station conservation state over the years, evaluated based on visual inspections, identifying common anomalies and describing the rehabilitation techniques employed.

In this study, users’ and tourists’ opinions regarding the conservation state of S. Bento Railway Station are also analyzed to explore how they perceived the degradation of this historical building and how this perception has influenced the need for intervention and maintenance over time. It also helps uncover patterns related to sentiment, such as the impact of rehabilitation efforts and effective intervention strategies.

Online user-generated content, such as TripAdvisor reviews, can significantly influence how attractions are perceived, as tourists often rely on opinions and feedback shared on social media. For our study, we employed sentiment analysis using VADER (Valence Aware Dictionary and sEntiment Reasoner) [2] to automatically assess the sentiments of tourists and users regarding the conservation condition of the station. Additionally, complaints from users provided by the management entity were consulted.

This paper contributes to the field of heritage conservation by linking practical maintenance strategies with user perceptions in the context of the historically significant S. Bento Station. This intersection between technical rehabilitation processes and tourist sentiment offers valuable insights for both architectural conservationists and heritage site managers. Moreover, it offers a novel approach by integrating sentiment analysis tools to assess public feedback on restoration efforts at a UNESCO World Heritage site. This research bridges the gap between engineering solutions and public perception, offering a comprehensive evaluation of both physical restoration and user experience.

Interest in Porto as a Travel Destination, S. Bento as an Attraction, and Rehabilitation Constraints

Google Trends shows that the city of Porto, Portugal, has consistently generated high interest as a travel destination, with users frequently searching for things to do in Porto, except during COVID-19 (Figure 1).

This enduring interest in Porto as a travel destination is further highlighted by TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards. Among the top experiences in the world is ‘The Unvanquished Tour in Porto City Centre’, Porto, Portugal. The 2024 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Things to Do Awards are determined based on the quality and quantity of traveller reviews and ratings posted on TripAdvisor over the 12-month period from 1 April 2023, through 31 March 2024 [3].

One of the city’s highlights contributing to its acclaim is the S. Bento train station, a historic building with significant heritage value. The S. Bento Station, featuring a facade standing 20 m tall and stretching 60 m in length, holds the designation of Public Interest under Decree-Law 67/97. It is situated within both the historic center and historic zone of Porto [4].

This classification imposes certain restrictions on its rehabilitation. Located in Porto’s downtown area (Figure 2), the station requires careful consideration of access barriers and surrounding infrastructure. Among the challenges encountered during the interventions, the rehabilitation of the atrium ceiling was particularly critical. It was essential to ensure uninterrupted operational functionality throughout the process. Special security measures were also required for tasks such as working atop scaffolding reaching approximately 14 m in height. In 2022, Porto São Bento station recorded 7,730,577 passenger entries and 7,825,564 passenger exits.

2. Methods

This paper presents two methodologies: the first is the technical intervention process at São Bento Station, and the second is the research process, which is described in sub-Section 2.4 and focuses on the sentiment analysis and user perception methodology. Furthermore, GPT-3 is employed in this study to contextualize sentiment analysis and assess the emotional tone of reviews concerning maintenance works.

2.1. Maintenance of S. Bento Train Station over the Years

As soon as buildings are put into use, their deterioration process begins. Deterioration is a progressive phenomenon associated with physical, chemical, and mechanical degradation factors and natural aging processes [5]. Over the years, the São Bento Station has undergone several interventions of different intensities. The two most recent and largest main interventions concerned the ceramic tiles, the atrium and the roof. The intervention regarding the maintenance and rehabilitation of ceramic panels was discussed and planned in 2007 and took place between 2010 and 2011. The second main intervention, related to the rehabilitation of the main atrium and roof, took place in 2021 and ended in the beginning of March 2022.

In 2023, during excavation works for subway construction near São Bento station, preventive measures were taken to monitor the building’s structure and tiled panels. These protective actions were implemented to prevent vibrations from causing damage, such as tiles falling.

This chapter presents the characterization of the main building and identifies the most common types of anomalies, as well as the adopted techniques to correct the anomalies and their probable causes.

2.2. Historic Tiles

In Mediterranean countries, decorative panels of ceramic glazed tiles are a valuable part of cultural heritage, particularly in Portugal [6,7]. Azulejos, painted and glazed, ceramic tiles, were introduced into Portugal around the fifteenth century and became widely used as decorative elements in Portuguese architecture [8]. In Portugal, azulejo is a very important and iconic part of Portuguese heritage and considered one of the country’s most distinctive art forms [9]. As the most widely used ornamental device in Portuguese architecture from the fifteenth century onward, it constitutes a basic element in the study of the history of Portuguese art [10]. São Bento Station is home to tile panel that constitute one of the most emblematic works by Jorge Colaço, which features about 22,000 tiles. Dating from the first decade of the 20th century, each panel represents a national ethnographic or historical scene. In the upper part, there is a frieze of polychrome tiles that evokes the history of travel in Portugal. The set is made up of blue, white, and polychrome historic tile panels, and polychrome tile friezes with a geometric pattern.

Maintenance actions were performed in the 1970s and 1980s to repair some detached tiles and to replace some missing tiles. In order to examine and register the station’s conservation state, an inspection campaign took place in July 2007 [11]. The inspection was divided by type of anomaly and area, namely the four elevations of the station (north, south, east and west). Figure 3 shows all tiles with anomalies on the west tile panel. Analysis of the photogrammetry, combined with an in situ assessment, revealed generalized tile degradation.

During the inspection campaign in 2007, most of the ceramic tiles were covered with gauze and a considerable layer of dirt, grease, and run-off (Figure 4a). Regarding the anomalies on joints, both an absence of joint space between the tiles (Figure 4b) and a lack of filling material (Figure 4c) were detected. It was even identified that cement mortar had been applied at certain punctual joints in previous interventions, which can have harmful effects on the tiles [12].

In addition, several tiles showed total detachment from or poor adherence to the support (Figure 4d). Loss of adhesion is usually the main cause for the detachment of the tiles from the bedding mortar, mostly arising due to the aging of the lime and sand mortar or the aging of the tile/mortar system. This anomaly is difficult to repair, usually requiring the replacement of tiles with new mortars.

Various tiles were fractured/cracked (Figure 4e), and some had uneven fragments due to resettlement work that had been carried out (Figure 4f). A summary of the detected anomalies is presented in

Table 1. Summary of the detected anomalies and their extension (adapted from [11]).

No. of Tiles	Elevation	Poor Adherence to Support		Fissured/ Fractured	Detached Glaze	Other Situation *
		Partially	Detached
4450	North	22.2%	3.7%	4.2%	0.6%	1.6%
4428	South	33.1%	6.0%	7.7%	2.5%	3.4%
8507	East	17.1%	10.8%	8.4%	1.6%	2.0%
5540	West	24.7%	11.0%	10.9%	2.5%	4.4%

* Absence of mortar in joints, cracks, among others.

.

In order to mitigate the existing anomalies and preserve the historic patrimony, an intervention plan was developed in October 2007 [11]. The restoration and preservation of the tiles was performed as a sole intervention, given its nature and specific methodologies for diagnosis and intervention. Portuguese azulejos have unique features such as their form, number, and diversity [14]. Considering the aforementioned main constraints, the intervention on the tile panels took approximately nine months, from August 2010 to May 2011. A summary of the number of restored tiles and the respective interventions is shown in

Table 2. Summary of the restored tiles and quantification of the main treatments carried out (adapted from [11]).

No. of Tiles	Survey/ Resettlement of Units	Volumetric and Chromatic Reintegration	Other Treatments *
4450	4.5%	5.6%	1.6%
4428	6.8%	11.3%	3.4%
8507	11.8%	11.2%	2.0%
5540	11.7%	14.4%	4.4%

* Repointing joints and structural cracks, among others.

.

With regard to the conservation and restoration of the tiles, both in situ and laboratory treatment techniques were used. The steps of the in situ treatment were registration, primary cleaning, panel protection, marking, punctual survey of units, infiltration of consolidating grout, repair of detached glazes, gap filling, chromatic reintegration, and unit nesting. The laboratory treatment steps were registration, back and glaze cleaning, detached glaze fixing, collage of fragments, gap filling, and chromatic reintegration.

The methodology used [11] was the following: First, a primary cleaning was performed using a solution of neutral detergent in deionized water (Figure 5a). Next, a protective layer made of cotton gauze and a resin solution acrylic was applied. Before removing the tiles, labeling was necessary in order to guarantee their correct reapplication. Hence, a traditional method [7] was used, whereby a label with a code (letter and number) based on an axes scheme matrix (e.g., A1) was applied to each unit. After labeling, and if no other treatment alternatives were possible, the tiles were removed, starting with the manual and electric removal of the joint’s material (Figure 5b). Then, removal of the existing mortar on the wall support was carried out (Figure 5c), as well as of the mortar adhering to the back of the tiles. Cleaning of the surface, using both mechanical and chemical methods, was carried out in the laboratory. After cleaning, stabilization, glaze fixation and bonding of fractured elements was conducted. Bonding was executed using an acrylic resin solution.

Back on site, after carefully preparing the support walls, mortar was applied on the substrate (Figure 5c). The mortar used contained a binder and aggregate that were adapted to the characteristics of the tiles and the substrate. Then, the tiles were reapplied (Figure 5d) and the joints were refilled with a traditional mortar, which was also adjusted to the characteristics of the tiles and the support.

After the installation was complete, micro-holes were made in the joint areas between tiles that showed poor adhesion to the support (Table 1, partially detached tiles) in order to inject grout and reinforcing products. Finally, in cases where there was a risk of tiles falling during the survey process, panels were protected with Styrofoam and plywood boards.

Some tiles exhibited high levels of salinity, requiring desalination through immersion in deionized water took place. Replicas were created only in cases where it was impossible to volumetrically reintegrate one or more units. Regarding the restoration process, in addition to stabilizing and fixing the glazes, tiles with gaps underwent a cold restoration process, which involved volumetric of gap filling and chromatic integration. Some before-and-after images of the tile interventions are shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7.

In 2023, some panels were protected from vibrations caused by the construction of the new subway by applying a film to the glazed surface. This consolidated all units and prevented the risk of fractures (Figure 8).

2.3. Entrance Hall

When intervening on historic renders and plasters, the intervention strategy—whether to repair or replace—needs to be decided based on an evaluation of the cultural value of the render or plaster and of the building itself. Furthermore, a precise diagnosis of the existing anomalies is required, including their quantity and level of reparability. To guarantee the durability of the wall as a whole, the use of compatible materials is essential, as this preserves the building’s image and its documentary and symbolic value [15].

The ceiling of the entrance hall is a notable feature, with the inscriptions ”Douro” and “Minho” referring to the two train lines that depart from the station. In 2018, a significant section of plaster fell from the ceiling, which propelled the intervention. The most common anomalies on the ceiling included a mesh in the cracked area, salts, cracks in the plaster, humidity stains, loss of polychromy, and volumetric gaps in the plaster.

Regarding the decorative elements, they are currently fixed to the wooden structure (Figure 9 and Figure 10). In the 1980s, the original wooden slats, which provided horizontal bracing for the soffit structure, were removed and replaced with metal rails to support the drywall. However, this intervention caused the ceiling to start cracking and warping. Several subsequent interventions were carried out, including the removal of stucco and the installation of plasterboard. During this intervention, sisal was applied, which has a superior performance compared to plaster, even though the drying time is longer (Figure 10). Moreover, the metal rails were removed, and the sisal was fixed with screws to the existing wooden structure. The ornaments were fixed with liquid nails (Figure 10).

During the construction phase, the ceiling was divided into three sections: the south section, which took three months; the centre section, which was more degraded, took around five months; and the north section, which was the most degraded, took six months. However, the construction phasing had to be adapted on site, since the sisal takes approximately three months to dry. For this reason, after installing the first section, the intervention team would rearrange the scaffolding and move to the next section (Figure 11b). This allowed the first section to fully dry without compromising the final color. In addition, to protect the delicate marble pavements from scaffolding, protective plates were arranged underneath the scaffolds. At last, three coats of paint were necessary for an adequate repair of the ceiling. Figure 11 shows the ceiling before (a), during (b) and after (c) the intervention.

One the main constraints of the current intervention on the main atriums ceiling was the limited working space above the scaffolding (Figure 12a), along with the extra security needed given the height of the scaffolding, which was approximately 14 m.

Moreover, a bird control system was installed inside the main atrium. Before the intervention, the only existing system was a set of metallic spikes on the first span of the wall, which led to birds nesting on the remaining levels. It is known that bird nests can create stability problems, both in structural elements and in ornamental elements, depending on their robustness. Birds carry seeds into their nests, which can germinate and lead to the growth of plant roots, potentially causing damage. Both these actions can promote the disintegration of the elements (Figure 12b), increasing the risk of them falling [17,18,19]. Therefore, to prevent this degradation from happening, bird deterrent gel discs were installed. The restoration of the clock also took place in the present intervention (Figure 12c).

2.4. Vader Sentiment Analysis

Sentiment analysis, often referred to as opinion mining in the realm of natural language processing (NLP), is a pivotal field dedicated to extracting sentiments from text automatically [20,21,22,23,24]. Its primary function is to systematically identify and categorize sentiments embedded within text data, enabling the assessment of emotional tones, opinions, and attitudes conveyed through written or spoken language. This capability is achieved through various methods such as lexicon-based sentiment analysis, machine learning-based sentiment analysis, and hybrid techniques [25,26].

Recent studies often utilize Python- and lexicon-based sentiment analysis algorithms like TextBlob (simplified text processing) and VADER, among other methods, to analyze the sentiments and emotions conveyed in text [4,27].

VADER, in particular, is noted for its effectiveness in analyzing sentiments in social media reviews. Its advantages include not requiring training data, support for emojis in sentiment classification, minimal performance trade-offs, and suitability for real-time applications. VADER assigns a polarity score (positive, negative, or neutral) to each word in its lexicon. A compound score ranging between −0.05 and 0.05 indicates neutrality, scores ≥0.05 to 1 indicate positive sentiment, and scores −1 to ≤−0.05 indicate negative sentiment [28]. However, the accuracy of sentiment analysis using VADER can be influenced by several factors, including language nuances. Misspellings, grammatical errors, sarcasm, and irony can lead to misinterpretations. Furthermore, specific jargon, nomenclature, and memes may not be recognized, while non-significant stop words and punctuation marks can alter sentiment polarity. VADER has demonstrated high accuracy when analyzing texts written in English, making it a reliable tool for sentiment analysis in this language.

Furthermore, GPT-3 is employed in this study to contextualize sentiment analysis and assess the emotional tone of reviews concerning maintenance works, as it has the capability to infer sentiment based on context, tone, and language patterns.

VADER is utilized to evaluate the sentiments expressed by users and tourists regarding the conservation state of S. Bento station.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1. Sentiments of Tourists and Users Regarding the Conservation Condition of the Station

A Python web scraping method was used to automatically extract English reviews from tourists visiting S. Bento train station on TripAdvisor, between 2012 and 2023. These 4185 reviews revealed a word cloud (Figure 13) highlighting the most frequently used words. Notably, positive terms such as “beautiful”, “worth”, “history” and “amazing’ were commonly associated with this station, with a particular emphasis on its ceramic tiles (Figure 13).

Figure 14 shows the histogram with the relative frequency of compound values of Vader results over the study period, reflecting the sentiment of users and tourists toward S. Bento train station. The majority of reviews are highly positive, with higher frequency in classes above 0.75.

Figure 15 presents violin plots representing the overall sentiment scores and their distribution for each year. Except for 2013, which had only two reviews, all other years showed higher density points above 0.75. The highest mean scores were observed in 2023 (n = 59; mean = 0.71 ± 0.28), in 2022 (n = 128; mean = 0.70 ± 0.29) and in 2018 (n = 862; 0.69 ± 0.29). The lowest mean was obtained in 2021 (n = 38; mean= 0.64 ± 0.29). Between 2015 and 2019, although the majority of the reviews were positive, there were instances of strong negative sentiments expressed by some users, especially in 2015, 2016 and 2017 (Figure 15).

Between 2010 and 2011, significant maintenance and rehabilitation work was carried out on the ceramic panels of S. Bento station. However, there are no TripAdvisor reviews referring to those years to provide insights into user perceptions during this period.

In 2015, a user presented a complaint to the management entity, referring the risks posed by the detachment of plasters from the ceiling stucco. Between 2014 and 2016, several TripAdvisor reviews highlighted the need for maintenance interventions at the station:

• “The train station sure is a wonderful building and the tile artwork on the inside is truly amazing … BUT, when you take a tile off for cleaning, restoration, whatever … Then put it back in the same spot!! I can imagine Sheldon Cooper would forget about his love for trains and drop on the floor with a panic attack as these ‘error-tiles’ start popping up everywhere once you gave attention to it. If you’re less perfectionist, relax and enjoy the beautiful artwork in this busy environment, or make it a game and try to spot the most misplaced tiles. We got 23;” (2014). This indicates that the review leans toward positivity overall but also contains subjective expressions of frustration and humour.
• “Nice blue cobalt painted tiles from hundreds of years ago at the lobby with old tunes scenes since 1176 in the walls life expressions … nicely inside than outside … needs some maintenance … is in the Porto (…)” (2015). The positive tone is tempered by the acknowledgment of maintenance needs, suggesting a slight concern or awareness about the current condition of the place.
• “The Sao Bento rail station came highly recommended by our taxi driver. It was beautiful with it’s tiled walls, some of which depicted interesting scenes. The station is however a bit torn” (2016). The emotion extracted from the text includes appreciation for the station’s beauty and historical significance, alongside a subtle concern about its physical upkeep.

These reviews reflect personal viewpoints and non-technical assessments. However, comments on TripAdvisor significantly influence travel decisions and contribute to the perception of a country as a tourist destination, often shaped by tourists’ sentimental evaluations [29,30].

In 2018, a significant piece of plaster fell from the ceiling. This incident, combined with users’ perceptions and feelings expressed through various complaints and reviews, prompted an intervention to restore the historic ceiling of the station. The management took this event as a critical signal that immediate action was necessary to address the conservation issues, ensuring both the safety of visitors and the preservation of the station’s historical and aesthetic value. This demonstrates that user feedback, even when non-technical, can be a valuable indicator of underlying maintenance needs and can drive necessary preservation efforts.

The second major intervention took place in 2021 (Figure 16), focusing on the rehabilitation of the main atrium and the ceiling. During this time, tourists complained about the presence of scaffolding and the lack of visibility of the azulejos (ceramic tiles), which are the primary attraction for many visitors to the station. However, these comments showed less concern regarding the conservation of the station compared to earlier ones. Two examples are included below:

• “Two out of the four walls (due to current construction) in the main entrance hall have pretty blue tiles on them. That’s all” (2021). The emotion conveyed is one of factual observation and acknowledgment of ongoing maintenance, providing a balanced perspective on the environment.
• “The one wall we saw was great but like everywhere in Porto, there is lots of work going on. It works fine as a train station” (2022). Despite the ongoing work, the text notes that the train station functions well.

Most reviews express positive emotions toward São Bento train station, highlighting its beauty, historical significance, and the cultural importance of its tile art. Only a few reviews were neutral or negative, mainly due to ongoing construction or differing expectations.

In 2023, additional works were carried out outside the São Bento train station associated with the development of the new metro line. Here are examples of reviews dated from 2023:

• “The Sao Bento train station was my favorite attraction in Porto. I photographed it early in the morning a couple of times, before it got over run by the tour groups. In early June, there was a crew working on the tiles. They were covering the tiles with a sheet of translucent fabric. The covered tiles turned desaturated, and lost their vividness (…).” The sheets were meant to protect the tiles from coming loose, impacted by the vibration from the new subway construction. They will be covered for six months. I felt so lucky to be able to photograph them just in time! (2023). Overall, the emotion extracted combines attachment to the station, gratitude for the experience, and a poignant awareness of change.
• “The central railway station of Porto has beautiful art and construction worthy of this beautiful city and will be even better when reconstruction outside is complete” (2023). The emotion extracted combines appreciation for the station’s existing beauty with optimism and excitement about its future enhancements.

These reviews highlight the impact that maintenance activities can have on the visitor experience, particularly when they obscure key historical and aesthetic features.

Despite the necessity of such interventions for preserving the station’s structural integrity and beauty, they can temporarily detract from the visitor experience, underscoring the need for careful planning and communication during maintenance projects to manage tourist expectations and satisfaction.

The comments also underscore the critical role of effective communication during maintenance projects. Several tourists expressed confusion and frustration due to the lack of clear signage and information about ongoing construction. For instance, the absence of English signage added to the confusion for non-Portuguese speaking visitors. Effective communication strategies could include multilingual signs explaining the nature and duration of the work, visual aids showing what the station typically looks like without scaffolding, and regular updates on the progress of the rehabilitation.

As seen in Figure 13, over the years, the reviews underscore the importance of the azulejos as the primary attraction of the station. Therefore, the successful conservation of the panels not only restored their original aesthetic value, but also contributes to a memorable visitor experience, prompting many tourists to recommend the station as a must-see destination. The positive reviews after the maintenance works validated the temporary inconvenience caused by the restoration process.

The sentiment analysis also revealed that tourists will appreciate more information about the history hidden in the ceramic panels.

• “The railway station is known for the tiles showing historical moments in Portuguese history. The tiles ARE beautiful and abundant, however it requires thorough knowledge of Portuguese history to understand/interpret them—we were not able to find any supplementary information which could bring understanding to us uneducated foreigners...” (2018). The emotion extracted combines appreciation for the visual aspects of the station with a sense of dissatisfaction or challenge due to the lack of accompanying historical context for non-Portuguese speakers.
• “These tiles are probably one of the major tourist attractions of this town but there is absolutely no explanation for the scenes they depict which is a shame. So try to find an explanation for the stories and greatly enhance the experience” (2017). The emotion extracted combines disappointment with a constructive suggestion for enhancing the visitor experience through improved information provision.

The azulejos tell the story of the country, portraying historical events, customs, and traditions. Providing context could enhance engagement and appreciation. S. Bento station has an opportunity to educate visitors about the tiles’ significance. Interactive displays or guided tours could bridge the information gap.

3.2. Effect of Rehabilitation on Tourist Perception

Sentiment analysis using VADER analysis revealed that tourists’ perceptions of S. Bento Railway Station have evolved alongside the station’s maintenance efforts. Reviews from 2010 to 2023 consistently praised the aesthetic value of the ceramic tiles and the station’s architecture, with positive sentiment exceeding 70% in most years. However, a noticeable dip in satisfaction occurred in 2015 and 2021, corresponding with visible degradation before intervention and disruptions during major rehabilitation works, respectively. The results underline the critical role that well-communicated and minimally disruptive conservation efforts play in maintaining public satisfaction with heritage sites.

This study demonstrates that conservation efforts at heritage sites like S. Bento Railway Station must be strategically planned to balance the preservation of historical structures with tourist satisfaction. The sentiment analysis provided clear evidence of the importance of user perceptions in the success of conservation projects. As demonstrated, positive public perception can be directly influenced by effective communication and thoughtful planning during interventions. These findings offer valuable lessons for future conservation initiatives, advocating for a holistic approach that integrates both technical expertise and user engagement.

4. Conclusions and Future Developments

The ceramic panels at São Bento train station possess significant heritage value, serving as a prominent tourist attraction in Porto, as evidenced by numerous comments on TripAdvisor praising their beauty and cultural significance. Preserving Portugal’s extensive cultural heritage of tiles necessitates a systematic scientific and technological approach. Planning adequate interventions for historic buildings is a complex task that requires a multidisciplinary team to define comprehensive maintenance plans. This is crucial for ensuring the safety and longevity of this historic heritage. These plans should strategically execute maintenance actions to optimize funds and resources, thereby projecting a favorable image of Portugal as a tourist destination—a sector crucial for the country’s economy. Moreover, considering the station’s significant traffic of 1.08 million passengers per month in 2019, these works must be conducted without disrupting the flow of users.

The analysis suggests that while significant rehabilitation works are essential to preserving heritage structures, the process of intervention can affect tourist satisfaction. Users expressed frustration during periods of visible disruption, such as the 2021 scaffolding phase, demonstrating the importance of managing visitor expectations during restoration projects.

These findings imply that heritage management strategies should incorporate clear communication about the nature and timing of works. While São Bento train station remains highly acclaimed for its historical and visual appeal, effective communication strategies are indispensable to sustain positive feedback from users and tourists. Providing informative signage and digital updates in multiple languages can help alleviate tourist dissatisfaction during periods of limited access to key attractions. Tourism management should prioritize efficient use of space to minimize inconvenience to passengers while maintaining a conducive environment for visitors. These strategies not only inform visitors about ongoing works but also manage their expectations and foster deeper understanding and appreciation of the station’s cultural importance.

Furthermore, sentiment analysis has facilitated the extraction of suggestions, including the provision of supplementary historical information about the ceramic panels to enrich visitor understanding.

Finally, sentiment analysis of tourist reviews can serve as a valuable tool for heritage managers to gauge the public response to restoration efforts and adjust their strategies accordingly. Integrating user feedback into planning processes ensures that conservation efforts not only maintain the physical integrity of heritage sites but also meet the expectations of modern tourists.