How to Improve Services
World Applied Sciences Journal 10 (Special Issue of Tourism & Hospitality): 45-53, 2010 ISSN 1818-4952 © IDOSI Publications, 2010
Investigating Service Quality Provided by Resort Operators: The Case of Lake Kenyir in Malaysia
Faiz Abd Rahman, Nor’Aini Yusof, Mohd Yahaya Mohd Daud and Zulkifli Osman School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
Abstract: The main objective of this article is to determine whether tourists regard the product and services provided in an ecotourism area with a certain level of satisfaction. Specifically, this study focuses on tourists’ expectations and experiences from their visits to one selected ecotourism area, Kenyir Lake in Malaysia. Whether these visitors are satisfied with the quality of service delivered to them by the resort operators was investigated. Methodically speaking, this study modifies the SERVQUAL model and develops a refined service quality model that includes a sustainable dimension to better explain the context of this study. A survey was conducted with tourists who had stayed for at least one night at any of the six resorts that were operating in the study area. The result shows that the level of the service quality is low and inevitably leading to tourists’ dissatisfaction. The result suggests that it is important to improve the sustainability, facilities and infrastructure, reliability of services, staff responsiveness, security and personal attention to the visitors (customers) to increase the service quality of the resorts within the vicinity of Lake Kenyir. Key words: Service quality SERVQUAL Ecotourism Sustainable dimension Tourism industry
INTRODUCTION Ecotourism can be defined in many ways. However, ecotourism is usually perceived as a responsible visit to a pristine natural area with educational components [1] that conserve the environment [2] and provide benefits to the hosts [3]. In recent years, ecotourism has been considered to be the
Investigating Service Quality Provided by Resort Operators: The Case of Lake Kenyir in Malaysia
Faiz Abd Rahman, Nor’Aini Yusof, Mohd Yahaya Mohd Daud and Zulkifli Osman School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
Abstract: The main objective of this article is to determine whether tourists regard the product and services provided in an ecotourism area with a certain level of satisfaction. Specifically, this study focuses on tourists’ expectations and experiences from their visits to one selected ecotourism area, Kenyir Lake in Malaysia. Whether these visitors are satisfied with the quality of service delivered to them by the resort operators was investigated. Methodically speaking, this study modifies the SERVQUAL model and develops a refined service quality model that includes a sustainable dimension to better explain the context of this study. A survey was conducted with tourists who had stayed for at least one night at any of the six resorts that were operating in the study area. The result shows that the level of the service quality is low and inevitably leading to tourists’ dissatisfaction. The result suggests that it is important to improve the sustainability, facilities and infrastructure, reliability of services, staff responsiveness, security and personal attention to the visitors (customers) to increase the service quality of the resorts within the vicinity of Lake Kenyir. Key words: Service quality SERVQUAL Ecotourism Sustainable dimension Tourism industry
INTRODUCTION Ecotourism can be defined in many ways. However, ecotourism is usually perceived as a responsible visit to a pristine natural area with educational components [1] that conserve the environment [2] and provide benefits to the hosts [3]. In recent years, ecotourism has been considered to be the