Level Of Service Quality In A Tour Operator Tourism Essay
Introduction
Tourism is one of the largest and fastest growing industry at global level, creating significant
employment and economic development, particularly in many developing countries. The
established tourism industry has, over the recent decades, been contributing massively to the
country’s economic development. Tour operators are an important part of this growth.
Mauritius is internationally renowned as one of the world’s premier luxury holiday destinations.
With many of the world’s most famous hotels, Mauritius enjoys one of the highest rates of
returning visitors in the world. In a developing country such as Mauritius, tourism is seen as a
major contributor to a nation’s income and wealth. Tourism is said to be the fastest growing
industry in the world over the past 50 years with no signs of slowing down in the 21st century.
Tourism has grown into one of the main pillars of the Mauritian economy; the forecast of
915,000 tourist arrivals for the year 2010 is maintained, representing an increase of 5.0% over
the figure of 871,356 in 2009. From January to August 2009/2010, international tourist arrivals
by country of residence have increased by 2.8%.In 2009, the number of visitors was 362,854
while in 2010, figure was 372,997. Tourist arrivals for the first semester of 2010 increased by
6.2% to reach 439,150 compared to 413,504 in the corresponding period of 2009. Around 93%
of the tourists came for holidays while 4.0% were on business/conference trips and another 0.6%
was in transit. Arrivals from Europe, which accounted for 65.2% of total tourist arrivals,
increased by 2.8% to reach 286,418 during the first semester of 2010 against 278,621 in the
corresponding semester of 2009. Arrivals from France, our leading market representing 32.3% of
total tourist arrivals and 49.6% of the European market, grew by 8.7% to attain 142,030 during
the first semester. The performance in arrivals for the other major generating countries of Europe
was as follows: Italy (+1.6%), Germany (-3.3%) and United Kingdom (-5.2%). As regards the
remaining European countries, the following changes were recorded in arrivals: Switzerland
(+24.1%), Austria (+10.3%), Belgium (-5.2%), Commonwealth of Independent States CIS (-
6.2%), Netherlands (-19.0%), Spain (-26.0%) and Sweden (-26.4%); (Central Statistical Office
2010). According to the Bank of Mauritius, tourism receipts for the year 2010 will be around Rs
40,150 million (+12.5 %) compared to Rs 35,693 million in 2009.However, due to the increasing
number of emerging and potential destinations, it is important for Mauritius to remain
competitive.
Every organisation exists not to make a profit, as many would have us believe, but to create and
retain satisfied customers. An organization would have no profits if it failed to create and retain
satisfied customers. Providing products and services which meet customer needs and
expectations creates satisfied customers.
In the preceding decades the tourism industry has become on the most important monetary
industries. Tour Operators are one of the most important institutions in the field of tourism
industry in providing services. Therefore, Tour operators play a central role in the tourism
industry. As intermediaries between tourists and tourism service providers, tour operators can
influence the choices of consumers, the practices of suppliers and the development patterns of
destinations. This unique role means that tour operators can make an important contribution to
, furthering the goals of sustainable tourism development and protecting the environmental and
cultural resources on which the tourism industry depends for its survival and growth.
Therefore, Tour Operators have to strive to deliver to their customers, not only their products and
services, but also ‘quality’ and ‘satisfaction’ that may lead to long-lasting survival and
profitability. Providing quality service improves satisfaction of customers and this is believed to
lead to increased of international visitors, repeat purchases of the same tourist products, customer
loyalty and relationship commitment. Moreover, highly satisfied tourists spread positive word-
of-mouth and in effect become walking, talking advertisements for providers whose service has
pleased them, thus lowering the cost of attracting new customers.
The concept of service quality and its relationship with the service industries has become a major
preoccupation of many within today’s business environment (Parasuraman and Zeithaml, 1993)
not least operators within the broad tourism sector. Service quality is very important to an
organisation as it is linked to its success where customer satisfaction and perception weights a
lot, however these two variables are respondent to cultural factors and environment difference
(Furrer, 2000). However, it is also true that there is no general agreement as to the nature or
content of the service quality dimensions (Brady and Cronin, 2001). Nevertheless, providing a
quality service to attract and retain customers has been recognised as a strategic need in highly
competitive business environments (Parasuraman et al, 1985; Zeithaml et al, 1990).
Organisations that deliver high service quality achieve high growth in market share and
increased profits (Buzzell and Gale, 1987). In order to compete, Tour Operators need to focus on
areas which give them an advantage over their competitors (Porter, 2004)
Additionally, although there have been numerous academic studies relevant to service quality
and customer satisfaction with tourism destinations within Tour Operators, however no studies
have been made on the service quality of Tour Operators in Mauritius and on customer
satisfaction with the destination Mauritius. Hence, the purpose of this study is to assess the level
of service quality in a Tour Operator in Mauritius, and examine the expectations and perceptions
of tourists on various components of service quality that contributed to the tourist’s experience,
namely accommodation, transportation, assistance at the airport, food and beverage services, and
the recreational services available to tourists visiting Mauritius.
Through this study based on the analysis, the intention is to discuss if the customer are satisfied
with the level of service quality as well as with their overall satisfaction with the destination.
Therefore, if service quality is to be one of the strategies, there needs to be a way of measuring it.
(Parasuraman, Zeithaml et al and Berry; 1988) developed the SERVQUAL model which is one
of the most popular service quality measuring instruments, is the most widely used and tested
survey instrument to measure service quality dimensions (Pawitra and Tan, 2003). But,
(Parasuraman et al 1990) do suggest that some adaptation of SERVQUAL scale may be desirable
when a particular service is investigated. However, the measurement and improvement of service
quality often remains a challenge. Indeed, this notion was the basis for the SERVQUAL model,
which views service quality as the gap between the expected level of service and customer
perceptions of the level received (Parasuraman et al, 1988), additionally the intention is to
discuss and measure these gaps and to fill the gaps, this study investigates the expectations and
Introduction
Tourism is one of the largest and fastest growing industry at global level, creating significant
employment and economic development, particularly in many developing countries. The
established tourism industry has, over the recent decades, been contributing massively to the
country’s economic development. Tour operators are an important part of this growth.
Mauritius is internationally renowned as one of the world’s premier luxury holiday destinations.
With many of the world’s most famous hotels, Mauritius enjoys one of the highest rates of
returning visitors in the world. In a developing country such as Mauritius, tourism is seen as a
major contributor to a nation’s income and wealth. Tourism is said to be the fastest growing
industry in the world over the past 50 years with no signs of slowing down in the 21st century.
Tourism has grown into one of the main pillars of the Mauritian economy; the forecast of
915,000 tourist arrivals for the year 2010 is maintained, representing an increase of 5.0% over
the figure of 871,356 in 2009. From January to August 2009/2010, international tourist arrivals
by country of residence have increased by 2.8%.In 2009, the number of visitors was 362,854
while in 2010, figure was 372,997. Tourist arrivals for the first semester of 2010 increased by
6.2% to reach 439,150 compared to 413,504 in the corresponding period of 2009. Around 93%
of the tourists came for holidays while 4.0% were on business/conference trips and another 0.6%
was in transit. Arrivals from Europe, which accounted for 65.2% of total tourist arrivals,
increased by 2.8% to reach 286,418 during the first semester of 2010 against 278,621 in the
corresponding semester of 2009. Arrivals from France, our leading market representing 32.3% of
total tourist arrivals and 49.6% of the European market, grew by 8.7% to attain 142,030 during
the first semester. The performance in arrivals for the other major generating countries of Europe
was as follows: Italy (+1.6%), Germany (-3.3%) and United Kingdom (-5.2%). As regards the
remaining European countries, the following changes were recorded in arrivals: Switzerland
(+24.1%), Austria (+10.3%), Belgium (-5.2%), Commonwealth of Independent States CIS (-
6.2%), Netherlands (-19.0%), Spain (-26.0%) and Sweden (-26.4%); (Central Statistical Office
2010). According to the Bank of Mauritius, tourism receipts for the year 2010 will be around Rs
40,150 million (+12.5 %) compared to Rs 35,693 million in 2009.However, due to the increasing
number of emerging and potential destinations, it is important for Mauritius to remain
competitive.
Every organisation exists not to make a profit, as many would have us believe, but to create and
retain satisfied customers. An organization would have no profits if it failed to create and retain
satisfied customers. Providing products and services which meet customer needs and
expectations creates satisfied customers.
In the preceding decades the tourism industry has become on the most important monetary
industries. Tour Operators are one of the most important institutions in the field of tourism
industry in providing services. Therefore, Tour operators play a central role in the tourism
industry. As intermediaries between tourists and tourism service providers, tour operators can
influence the choices of consumers, the practices of suppliers and the development patterns of
destinations. This unique role means that tour operators can make an important contribution to
, furthering the goals of sustainable tourism development and protecting the environmental and
cultural resources on which the tourism industry depends for its survival and growth.
Therefore, Tour Operators have to strive to deliver to their customers, not only their products and
services, but also ‘quality’ and ‘satisfaction’ that may lead to long-lasting survival and
profitability. Providing quality service improves satisfaction of customers and this is believed to
lead to increased of international visitors, repeat purchases of the same tourist products, customer
loyalty and relationship commitment. Moreover, highly satisfied tourists spread positive word-
of-mouth and in effect become walking, talking advertisements for providers whose service has
pleased them, thus lowering the cost of attracting new customers.
The concept of service quality and its relationship with the service industries has become a major
preoccupation of many within today’s business environment (Parasuraman and Zeithaml, 1993)
not least operators within the broad tourism sector. Service quality is very important to an
organisation as it is linked to its success where customer satisfaction and perception weights a
lot, however these two variables are respondent to cultural factors and environment difference
(Furrer, 2000). However, it is also true that there is no general agreement as to the nature or
content of the service quality dimensions (Brady and Cronin, 2001). Nevertheless, providing a
quality service to attract and retain customers has been recognised as a strategic need in highly
competitive business environments (Parasuraman et al, 1985; Zeithaml et al, 1990).
Organisations that deliver high service quality achieve high growth in market share and
increased profits (Buzzell and Gale, 1987). In order to compete, Tour Operators need to focus on
areas which give them an advantage over their competitors (Porter, 2004)
Additionally, although there have been numerous academic studies relevant to service quality
and customer satisfaction with tourism destinations within Tour Operators, however no studies
have been made on the service quality of Tour Operators in Mauritius and on customer
satisfaction with the destination Mauritius. Hence, the purpose of this study is to assess the level
of service quality in a Tour Operator in Mauritius, and examine the expectations and perceptions
of tourists on various components of service quality that contributed to the tourist’s experience,
namely accommodation, transportation, assistance at the airport, food and beverage services, and
the recreational services available to tourists visiting Mauritius.
Through this study based on the analysis, the intention is to discuss if the customer are satisfied
with the level of service quality as well as with their overall satisfaction with the destination.
Therefore, if service quality is to be one of the strategies, there needs to be a way of measuring it.
(Parasuraman, Zeithaml et al and Berry; 1988) developed the SERVQUAL model which is one
of the most popular service quality measuring instruments, is the most widely used and tested
survey instrument to measure service quality dimensions (Pawitra and Tan, 2003). But,
(Parasuraman et al 1990) do suggest that some adaptation of SERVQUAL scale may be desirable
when a particular service is investigated. However, the measurement and improvement of service
quality often remains a challenge. Indeed, this notion was the basis for the SERVQUAL model,
which views service quality as the gap between the expected level of service and customer
perceptions of the level received (Parasuraman et al, 1988), additionally the intention is to
discuss and measure these gaps and to fill the gaps, this study investigates the expectations and
