The development of digital media in the tourism sector has influenced the way tourists form expectations of a destination. Telaga Sarangan, as one of the natural tourist destinations, experiences a phenomenon of mismatch between the expectations formed through social media and interpersonal communication and the actual conditions on the ground. Expectations that tend to be ideal are often not met, thus triggering the emergence of negative comments from visitors, both directly and through digital platforms. This study aims to analyze the process of expectation formation, the occurrence of expectation violations, visitor responses, as well as the role of managers in moderating visitor assessments of the tourism experience. .This study uses the Expectancy Violations Theory (EVT) to explain the dynamics between expectations and reality experienced by tourists. The research method used is a qualitative approach with data collection techniques through in-depth interviews with managers, visitors, and business actors in the Telaga Sarangan area. The results of the study show that visitors' expectations are formed before the visit through social media and interpersonal communication, resulting in an ideal perception of the destination. Expectancy violations occur due to mismatches between expectations and actual conditions, such as crowding, traffic jams, suboptimal facilities, and the perception of less transparent pricing.

Keywords: Expectancy Violations Theory, visitor expectations, expectancy violations, visitor responses digital touris.