Measuring tourist judgment on service quality

This study measures tourist judgments on service quality in alpine ski resorts. An attribute based method was employed in order to estimate weighting schemes both for quality judgments across different tourism activity domains and different quality dimensions within winter resorts and to quantify an overall quality measure. A linear regression and Sirgy's congruity model of customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction were adopted. The results indicate that there exists a linear relationship between the overall quality measure and the partial judgments of each domain/dimension. This allows deciphering the relevance of different domains of tourism activity and quality dimensions within the process of making quality judgments.     

Satisfaction or Quality Comes First: An Empirical Analysis

This article assesses and compares two different models that include (a) the relationships of quality dimensions with satisfaction and associated intended future behavior and (b) the relationships of satisfaction with quality dimensions and associated intended future behavior for visitors who attended entertainment events/shows at two venues. A structural analysis of 8,446 responses provided by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority in Charlotte, North Carolina, suggests that both models are statistically acceptable and some significant relationships are found among satisfaction, three quality dimensions (the entertainment show offered, the services associated with the venue, and the treatment by staff), and intended future behavior. A brief comparison of the two models is discussed in terms of the structural relationships, the strengths, and the values of goodness-of-fit indices. The findings may contribute to the conceptual development of the existing literature as one of the first few works to study satisfaction, quality, and future behavior intentions in the entertainment and event area. The article ends by providing practical facilitation of related managerial directions in the entertainment industry and suggests directions for future research.     

Chinese clientele at Chinese hotels—Preferences and satisfaction

The paper examines the proposal that levels of satisfaction with mainland Chinese hotels by the domestic market are related to performance in core services to which clients attribute high levels of importance. Regression analysis indicates that the main determinants of satisfaction are the external environment, reputation and cleanliness of the bedroom. It is suggested that key components of the hotel product such as a comfortable bed are akin to hygiene factors in Herzberg's theory of human relations, that is, their absence causes dissatisfaction, but their presence is insufficient to generate high levels of satisfaction. The sample comprises 941 Chinese respondents.     

The impact of green practices in coastal tourism: An empirical investigation on an eco-labelled beach club

The environmental impact of marine and coastal tourism is gaining the attention of firms, scholars and institutions. Coastal tourism facilities play a crucial role in the sustainable management of coastal tourism areas in Mediterranean countries. One way by which tourism facilities can preserve these resources is to adopt on a voluntary basis the ecolabels, which ensure compliance with specific environmental performance criteria. The research presents the results of a survey addressed to the guests of an ecolabel-awarded Italian Beach Club. In order to reduce a research gap in the context of coastal tourism, the aim is to evaluate how guests perceive the green practices implemented by the Beach Club and to test if they significantly influence guests’ satisfaction and loyalty. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) was employed to test a series of research hypotheses. Findings show that (a) guest environmental concern positively influences guest attitude toward green practices and guests’ evaluation of green practices; (b) guest environmental concern isn’t a significant antecedent of guest satisfaction; (c) guest attitude toward green practices positively influences the evaluation of green practices; (d) guest attitude towards green practices doesn’t influence guest satisfaction and loyalty; (e) the performance of Beach Club green practices positively influences guest satisfaction and loyalty toward the Beach Club; (f) customer satisfaction is a significant antecedent of guest loyalty. Research findings are relevant for practitioners, as beach club green practices are positively recognized by guests that consider them as part of the service quality, showing that environmental commitment plays a significant role in generating added value for coastal tourism.     

Factors of satisfaction and intention to use peer-to-peer accommodation

To better understand the behavioral characteristics of consumers in the sharing economy, this study examines factors that influence guests’ satisfaction with a peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation and their intention to use it again for future trips. Based on an online survey of 644 travelers living in the United States, guest satisfaction was identified as being influenced by factors of enjoyment, monetary benefits (value), and accommodation amenities. Furthermore, it was found that future intention to use P2P accommodation was again determined by enjoyment and value. By differentiating guests based on their chosen types of accommodation, the analysis revealed that social benefits influence guest satisfaction for those staying in a private room that involved cohabitation with hosts, but that this was an insignificant factor for guest satisfaction for those staying in an entire home or apartment. Directions for future research as well as implications for accommodation providers are discussed in this paper.     

Satisfaction With All-Inclusive Tourism Resorts: The Effects of Satisfaction With Destination and Destination Loyalty

Despite the fact that all-inclusive package holidays play a major role in the tourism developments of sun and sea destinations, relatively little research has been done within the hospitality literature to investigate the relationships between satisfaction with all-inclusive, destination satisfaction and loyalty to a destination. Moreover, the measurement of satisfaction with all-inclusive resorts is lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine relationships between satisfaction with all-inclusive resorts, satisfaction with destination, and destination loyalty, in order to understand the generation of tourist satisfaction with all-inclusive resorts. Based the previous theoretical and empirical evidence in the related literature, a questionnaire survey was conducted during summer 2008 at Antalya, a major sun and sea tourism destination of Turkey. The data were analyzed using several statistical techniques. The results suggested that there were significant relationships between satisfaction with all-inclusive resorts, satisfaction with destination and destination loyalty. It is also noteworthy that an all-inclusive package tour is the most popular traveling mode for tourists visiting Antalya.     

How does hotel pricing influence guest satisfaction by the moderating influence of room occupancy?

Whether the product price increases customer satisfaction or rather decreases it has been actively debated for some time. A non-linear correlation between the hotel price and guest satisfaction, explored empirically in this paper, implies that the two phenomena are actually not inconsistent with one another At the low price level, room price and food and beverage (F&B) price leads to an increase in guest satisfaction whereas the high price level could have just the opposite effect The results suggests an inverse U shaped relationship between price level and guest satisfaction On the other hand, the room price guest satisfaction link could be affected by the moderating influence of room occupancy to be a U shaped function This paper reports results from a study on the influence of hotel pricing on guest satisfaction in the context of room products and F&B products in Taiwanese international tourist satisfaction It is found that the hotel pricing has a quadratic effect on guest satisfaction     

Generic dimensionality of hospitality in the hotel industry: A host–guest relationship perspective

The main objectives of this study are to identify the generic facets of hospitality for hotel services irrespective of their star rating, as well as to determine the impact of generic dimensionality on guest satisfaction. The responses of 305 local and foreign hotel guests in a questionnaire survey were analysed using a Structural Equation Modelling technique. The generic facets of hotel hospitality were identified as personalisation, comfort, and warm welcoming. Of the three, only personalisation and warm welcoming contributed significantly to predicting guest satisfaction. This study is aimed at adding to the body of related literature by sharing new insights on how the generic dimensionality of hospitality in its entirety differs from that of upscale hotel hospitality.     

The mediation of information technology on visitors’ experience at a cultural heritage site

This study identifies perceptual differences between the experiences of using an interactive ubiquitous access tourism service (U-tourism service) at a cultural heritage site and on-site participation-driven services. An interactive U-tourism service, “Hwaseong Haenggung Histour”, a smart phone application, was developed and implemented for this study. The study found (a) visitors who experienced the U-tourism service showed higher recognition on such dimensions as education, novelty, entertainment and fellowships, regarded as important components of on-site experiences, than those who joined on-site participation-driven services and (b) young visitors who used the interactive U-tourism service recorded higher in the dimensions of both education and novelty than those who joined on-site participation-driven services and showed higher satisfaction. These findings provide strong justification for the introduction of U-tourism services, particularly for young visitors. This study contributes to the understanding of a fast-growing and influential electronic tool for cultural heritage sites.     

Hotel Guest Satisfaction and Brand Performance

ABSTRACT

The value and significance of guest satisfaction, brand management, and franchising in the hotel industry have been well documented and researched as independent topics. While previous research has suggested that franchising has an overall negative effect on hotel quality, it has rarely investigated the important links between hotel brand performance and guest satisfaction, and the role of brand franchising strategy in the relationship between hotel brand performance and guest satisfaction. This study examines the relationships among guest satisfaction, revenue performance and growth, and franchising strategy at the hotel brand level. Results indicate that guest satisfaction is a key to brand growth, while the positive effect of guest satisfaction on brand revenue performance is moderated by the extent of franchising within each brand.     

Complementary services at hotels in accordance with their pricing strategy and the price sensitivity of tourists

This study proposes a procedure for defining, assessing and classifying free or payable complementary hotel services. These services are susceptible of being provided to holiday hotel tourists at mature sun-and-sand destinations to increase guest satisfaction and hotel profitability. Following this procedure, an empirical study was carried out, by means of in-depth interviews, Delphi’s methodology among experts on tourist hotels, and a survey, which was distributed to a sample of 1100 tourists. As a result, a set of complementary services was obtained. These services may be (1) dispensable or susceptible of being eliminated or reduced due to their low importance and frequency of use, (2) essential, as they must be provided because they are very relevant and frequently used, and (3) desirable, because they must be provided due to their high relevance for tourists.     

Understanding the dynamics of the quality of airline service attributes: Satisfiers and dissatisfiers

This research aims to determine the relationship between the quality of airline service attributes and overall satisfaction. Although a number of relevant studies have reported a linear relationship (or symmetric effect) between the two concepts, this work suggests that attribute quality exerts heterogeneous effects on satisfaction or dissatisfaction. A total of 157,035 consumer data from online reviews have been analyzed to achieve the research objective. In accordance with Herzberg, Mausner, and Snyderman’s (1959) two-factor theory, the findings of this research have determined that the quality of certain service attributes, such as cleanliness, food and beverages, and in-flight entertainment, affects the variations of positive ratings as a satisfier. Other airline service attributes, such as customer service and check-in and boarding, influence the deviations of negative ratings as a dissatisfier. Apart from airline attributes, the individual features and types of airline products have been estimated to improve the understanding of such relationships. In this regard, this study provides important implications to customer-centric marketing in an airline marketplace.     

Guest Satisfaction Barometer and Benchmarking

Abstract

An increasing number of companies use customer satisfaction data for improvement programs, strategic decision making, and compensation schemes. Typically, single companies carry out satisfaction measurement for their own purposes. As a consequence, results are not comparable with other companies. Thus, valuable information on competition is not available and benchmarking is not possible. Moreover, in order to use satisfaction data for decision-making, it should be measured continuously and systematically. In practice, however, many firms do not have the required resources or competencies to carry out these research activities on their own. As a result, there is a lack of reliable data. The implementation of a customer satisfaction barometer seems to be a promising approach. It facilitates competitive benchmarking and delivers valuable information for quality improvement. provide participating hotels with information on overall satisfaction, attribute satisfaction, price satisfaction, complaining behavior, loyalty, word-of-mouth, etc.; (3) to identify strengths and weaknesses, as well as improving opportunities; and (4) to provide participating hotels with data for competitive benchmarking. Thirty-seven hotels participated in the pilot phase and data from more than 3,500 guests were collected. In order to illustrate the ideas of the guest satisfaction barometer and the benefits for the participating hotels, the authors first describe the basic ideas and guiding principles of the barometer and report some empirical findings to demonstrate how benchmarks can be used to improve quality and satisfaction. The paper closes with a summary of the experiences and some recommendations for future applications.     

Inter-Satisfaction between Website and Automated Call Distribution (ACD) Systems

Websites and an Automated Call Distribution (ACD) system in a call center are both considered important customer relationship technologies. Integrating concepts from information systems quality and trust transference theory, this paper introduces the concept of inter-satisfaction: the extent to which customer satisfaction with a website leads to satisfaction with an ACD and vice versa. It is hypothesized that dissatisfaction with either the website or the ACD influences potential brand-switching behaviors. A model, largely drawing upon concepts of user satisfaction as developed in information system research, is presented. The model is then tested using data from passengers using Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) in South Korea, specifically 366 passengers at the Jeju International Airport, who experienced both their airlines’ website and call center. A structural equation modeling analysis demonstrates that satisfaction with the website transfers to satisfaction with the ACD system, but not vice versa, and that only dissatisfaction with the website creates a brand-switching intention.     

Modelling the relationship between attribute satisfaction,overall satisfaction,and behavioural intentions in Australian ski resorts

This study models the relationship between attribute satisfaction, overall satisfaction, and behavioural intentions within the context of ski resorts. Utilising a sample of 426 respondents, K-means cluster analysis is used to develop five motivational ski tourist segments, and the influence of attribute satisfaction on overall satisfaction is determined for each tourist segment. A structural equation model (SEM) is used to confirm the relationship between attribute satisfaction, overall satisfaction and behavioural intentions. The study found that different tourist segments were motivated by different attributes and it is not necessary for all attributes to be satisfied in order to achieve overall satisfaction and positive behavioural intentions. The results provide destination managers with insights to influence overall satisfaction, manage tourists’ behavioural intentions, and improve destination competitiveness.     

Impact-range performance analysis and asymmetry analysis for improving quality of Korean food attributes

The objective of this study is to assess the key-drivers of customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction and their asymmetric effects in the formation of customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction in Korean restaurants by using impact-range performance analysis (IRPA) and impact asymmetry analysis (IAA) approaches. Two hundred thirty-nine diners at two Korean restaurants in a U.S. southern metropolitan city participated in this study. Results validated the rigor of IRPA and IAA for identifying key determining factors and assessing magnitude among various restaurants’ attributes. Food taste, presentation, cleanliness, and fair price had severe impacts on CS. The theoretical and practical implications of this study's findings are included to enrich both academicians’ and restaurant industry professionals’ understanding of customers’ perceptions of and attitudes toward restaurants, and development of a marketing strategy.     

Good but not so great: The impact of chain affiliation on guest satisfaction and guest satisfaction extremeness

Chain affiliation is widespread in the hotel industry. It has also attracted a lot of academic attention. While a large number of studies have examined whether affiliated hotels outperform independent hotels in terms of occupancy, ADR and RevPAR, research on the chain affiliation - guest satisfaction relationship is scarce. In this study, we explore the impact of chain affiliation on guest satisfaction and guest satisfaction extremeness, which is defined as the extent to which a hotel’s guest satisfaction deviates from the industry average. We also examine whether the relationships between chain affiliation, guest satisfaction and guest satisfaction extremeness are contingent on market segments. Using a large sample of 35.000 hotels, we find evidence that chain affiliation increases guest satisfaction, but decreases guest satisfaction extremeness. In addition, the positive chain affiliation - guest satisfaction relationship and the negative chain affiliation - guest satisfaction relationship are stronger in higher quality market segments. Taken together, our findings suggest that chain affiliation is a double-edged sword for hotels, particularly in higher quality market segments.     

A dynamic panel data analysis of snow depth and winter tourism

This paper analyses the relationship between the number of overnight stays and different measures of snow depth based on panel data covering 28 Austrian ski resorts for the period 1986/87–2005/06. Using the dynamic heterogeneous panel data technique of Pesaran, Shin, and Smith (1999), we found a long-run relationship between the number of overnight stays, amount of snow depth, weighted real GDP per capita of the major countries of visitor origin, and price index of accommodation services. The long-run elasticity of overnight stays with respect to snow depth was 0.10. However, for high-elevation resorts the evolution of the number of overnight stays was independent of variations in snow depth. Furthermore, the long-run elasticity of the number of overnight stays with respect to weighted real GDP per capita of the country's visitors was much greater for high-elevation resorts than for low-elevation resorts. Finally, early Easter holidays were significantly and positively related to winter tourism demand.     

Consequences of Customer Dissatisfaction in Upscale and Budget Hotels: Focusing on Dissatisfied Customers’ Attitude Toward a Hotel

It is important to understand customer dissatisfaction in order to maintain a sustainable business, given that the negative effects of customer dissatisfaction in service businesses may be even greater than the positive effects of satisfaction. This study investigates customer dissatisfaction and its consequences by focusing on the mediating role of attitude toward a hotel according to different hotel classes related to customer expectation level. The results show a mediating role for attitude in the relationship between customer dissatisfaction and specific negative behavioral intentions. This study broadens our knowledge of customer dissatisfaction and the role of attitude toward a hotel in the relevant literature. The empirical findings demonstrate that regardless of hotel type, customer dissatisfaction significantly affects their attitude and their consequent negative behavioral intention.     

The Importance of Hotel Attributes in Contributing to Travelers' Satisfaction in the Hong Kong Hotel Industry

Abstract

This study surveyed 402 international travelers to explore their satisfaction levels towards service and facility quality in three Hong Kong hotel market segments, High-Tariff A, High-Tariff B and Medium Tariff. Six perception dimensions were extracted from 33 hotel attributes by a factor analysis. All six dimensions had a significant impact on the overall satisfaction of travelers with service quality and facilities in the three Hong Kong hotel market segments. Quality of Staff Performance was the most influential factor followed by Quality of Room Facilities, Value for Money, Variety and Efficient Services, Business Related Services, and Safety and Security respectively. It was found that travelers had the lowest satisfaction level towards the Medium-Tariff hotel segment. By identifying the most influential hotel dimension in influencing travelers' satisfaction levels, hoteliers will be in an advantageous position to formulate tactics to meet the changing needs and expectations of travelers. Implementing human resources training that emphasizes the fact that service quality is part of each employee's job should have a significant impact on guest re-purchase intention. The importance of value segmentation cannot be overlooked by hoteliers. Travelers will continue to expect hotels to provide more value-for-money services and facilities and they are expected to shift their purchasing decision to an economic value basis.