Tourism has become a complex system strongly influenced by technology. Perceptions shared by tourists on digital platforms significantly shape this system, offering valuable insights into strengths and areas for strategic improvement of destination brands. This paper explores theoretical perspectives on the dynamic and multilayered nature of tourism management, focusing on destination branding and the role of digital travel platforms in communicating tourists’ experiences. It also introduces a methodological approach to monitoring tourists’ experiences at different stages of their trips, using an analysis of linguistic expressions related to their perceptions. The study, supported by an advanced AI natural language processing model, looks at tourist posts from TripAdvisor forums about the USA, Spain, and Japan, examining the affective, cognitive, and behavioural aspects before, during, and after their visits to these iconic destinations. It includes quantitative and qualitative results, revealing common trends such as anticipation of famous sites and cultural experiences, real-time enjoyment of natural and cultural attractions, and later concerns about costs, crowds, and safety. There are also unique challenges, including service quality in the USA, environmental impacts in Spain, and language barriers in Japan, among others. Understanding these trends and challenges can aid in improving destination marketing and management, inspiring further research and innovation in the field.