Taiwanese tourists' perceptions of service quality on outbound guided package tours: A qualitative examination of the SERVQUAL dimensions

Abstract

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.