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ABSTRACT
KEYWORDS: service quality, Taiwanese, guided package tour, travel agency, SERVQUAL, qualitative
Guided package tours are popular for certain market segments and represent a significant tourism market. However, research on service quality in guided package tours is rather limited. This research used a modified SERVQUAL dimensions to evaluate travellers' perceptions of service quality on the guided package tour. SERVQUAL has been widely used in various disciplines including numerous studies in the hospitality and tourism industries and has received considerable recognition in service marketing. Some have found empirical support for the five dimensions, but some question the five service dimensions. Instead of using traditional questionnaire surveys, this study used qualitative approach to gain an insight into tour participants' views. The study found that the dimension of 'tangibility' was less significant when compared with other dimensions in terms of customers' perceptions of service quality. Other elements such as 'communication' and 'sociability' were critical when applied to the travel industry in a particularly ethnical group.
INTRODUCTION
Tourism development cannot operate without the contributions of travel agencies (tour operators) . They not only provide a link between the travel service providers and customers, but they are also active in marketing and promoting a country's tourism development. Taiwan is a small island country with limited resources and isolated geographical location. People in Taiwan are interested in seeing the outside world. Based on the Taiwan Tourism Bureau Annual Report on Tourism (Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communication R.O.C., 2007), in the year of 2007, there were a total of 2710 travel agencies (including main offices and branch offices), which promoted outbound tour products in Taiwan, and the total outbound travel from Taiwan was 8.6 million in 2006. Due to language barriers and other inconveniences, many Taiwanese travellers heavily relied on the service of travel agencies. As the Taiwanese outbound travel market expanded over the past 10 years, and competition in tour operating became more intense, Taiwanese travel agencies tended to focus on low prices rather than quality. As a result, the profit margins of each tour were trimmed. In addition, Taiwanese travellers had become more experienced and were demanding better service. The quality of products and services became critical issues for repeat customers. According to the ROC (Republic...