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Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction with Tourism Products and Services Source: Yüksel & Yüksel, 2001; Bowie & Chang, 2005
Source publication
Traveller’s wishes, needs and expectations keep changing constantly as destinations vie with each other to increase their share from the international tourism pie. Destinations need to offer qualified service and renew themselves continuously. In this context, tour guides as key representatives of destinations play a significant role on tourist sat...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... are a number of factors playing a significant role in the determination of customer satisfaction in the tourism industry such as customers' expectations, previous experience and customer behaviour during the on-tour process, the perception of equity and unforeseeable events. These factors (Figure 1) are classified into two different groups, the first of which is internal factors constituting the customers' expectations, previous experience and customers' behaviour during the tour and the perception of equity and in the second group, which is titled as external factors composing of the factors such as unforeseeable events together with source of stress for tourists. The customer satisfaction is affected in three different stages of the tour by these factors (pre-tour, on-tour and post-tour) (Bowie & Chang, 2005). ...
Context 2
... are a number of factors playing a significant role in the determination of customer satisfaction in the tourism industry such as customers' expectations, pre- vious experience and customer behaviour during the on-tour process, the perception of equity and unforesee- able events. These factors (Figure 1) are classified into two different groups, the first of which is internal factors constituting the customers' expectations, previous expe- rience and customers' behaviour during the tour and the perception of equity and in the second group, which is titled as external factors composing of the factors such as unforeseeable events together with source of stress for tourists. The customer satisfaction is affected in three dif- ferent stages of the tour by these factors (pre-tour, on-tour and post-tour) (Bowie & Chang, 2005). ...
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Traveller's wishes, needs and expectations keep changing constantly as destinations vie with each other to increase their share from the international tourism pie. Destinations need to offer qualified service and renew themselves continuously. In this context, tour guides as key representatives of destinations play a significant role on tourist sat...
Citations
... Individuals' desire to know and experience different cultures or avoid challenges that may arise from intercultural difficulties in the destinations they visit is a significant driver behind purchasing guidance services. As observed by many researchers, the performance of a tour guide has a remarkable impact on the tourist experience (Alazaizeh, Jamaliah, Mgonja, & Ababneh, 2019;Çetinkaya & € Oter, 2016;Huang et al., 2010;Jahwari, Sirakaya-Turk, & Altintas, 2016). For example, the tour guide provides information about museums and archaeological sites of interest or different local customs and traditions. ...
... As noted above, the effect of tour guide performance on tourists' satisfaction levels, behavioral tendencies, and experiences has been researched in previous studies (Cheng et al., 2019;Çetinkaya & € Oter, 2016;Frochot & Batat, 2013;Huang et al., 2015;Hwang & Lee, 2019;Syakier & Hanafiah, 2022). However, different dimensions have been put forward to measure the performance of the tour guide. ...
Purpose
This study investigates to what extent the values perceived by tourists throughout cultural tours impact their overall satisfaction levels and behavioral intentions related to the destination. This study further examines the moderating role of tour guide competency in the relationship patterns concerned.
Design/methodology/approach
Empirical data were collected via a survey from 420 foreign tourists who visited Cappadocia and participated in guided cultural tours. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling was used for data analysis.
Findings
Study results reveal that the effects of quality, emotional, monetary and social value perceptions of tourists gained through cultural tour experiences on their overall satisfaction levels and the effects of overall satisfaction on recommendation and revisit intention are positive and significant. Furthermore, the moderating role of tour guide competency is significant and positive in the relationships between quality value and satisfaction and between satisfaction and revisit intention.
Originality/value
This study offers a critical analysis of discoveries concerning the pivotal role of tour guide competency within the cultural tour experience.
... Some studies also suggest that age and sex influence people's knowledge about wildlife, with older people scored higher than young people (Carretero, 2005;da Silva Costa et al., 2023;Ladio & Lozada, 2004), and men scoring higher on knowledge that stresses a utilitarian or practical view of wildlife, while women scored lower on this type of knowledge but higher on affective and protective behaviors toward wildlife (Gilligan, 1982;Kellert & Berry, 1987;Miller & McGee, 2000;Nyhus et al., 2003). In addition to sociodemographic characteristics and the fact that watching wildlife increases tourist's knowledge of animals (Reibelt et al., 2017), the presence of a tour guide influences the knowledge obtained by tourists during a visit (Çetıṅkaya & Öter, 2016;Chiang & Chen, 2014;Huang et al., 2010;Tsai et al., 2016), improving their understanding of the site visited (Weng et al., 2020). ...
People's attitudes toward wildlife and how humans perceive themselves in relation to the natural environment are essential components of human-wildlife interactions. Iguazú National Park (INP), in northern Argentina, is visited daily by thousands of tourists. We studied tourists’ knowledge of the diet and daily activity patterns of capuchin monkeys (Sapajus nigritus) and tourists’ beliefs about why monkeys and people interact. We administered a questionnaire (N = 601) at four locations where tourists tend to concentrate between December 2015 and February 2016. We used generalized linear models to examine factors influencing tourists’ knowledge. Our results indicate that tourists had accurate knowledge of the monkeys’ daily activities and diet. Visual contact with monkeys and the presence of a tour guide was linked to better knowledge about daily activities but not about diet. People older than 50 years with a university degree and/or a profession had higher levels of knowledge about diet than younger people without it. We found no effect of whether tourists came from regions with or without monkeys as native fauna or sex on tourists’ levels of knowledge. Most of the tourists believed that monkeys approach people because they are looking for food. Taking photos, curiosity, and feeding monkeys were the most important reasons given for why people approach the monkeys. We found no differences between the sexes in their beliefs about interactions taking place because of food. Our results strengthen the need to move the focus of management strategies from wildlife behavior to human behavior, knowledge, and perceptions about wildlife if we want to improve conservation strategies.
... Tour guides are an integral part of the industry. Tour guides have many roles, such as being a leader, an information giver, a mentor, a mediator and cultural broker, an educator, an ambassador and a host (Cetinkaya and Oter, 2016). These various roles place heavy and difficult responsibilities on their shoulders. ...
... They suffer from antisocial working hours, job insecurity and limited time for their private lives (e.g. family) (Cetinkaya and Oter, 2016). In the absence of a tour company representative, all operations, such as restaurants, accommodations and payment, are under the tour guides' responsibilities, which put an extra load on their shoulders. ...
Purpose
This paper aims to explore work interfering with family (WIF) and family interfering with work (FIW) as the mediators linking psychological resilience to happiness.
Design/methodology/approach
Data gathered from tour guides in Türkiye were used to test the aforesaid associations. In this paper, partial least squares structural equation modeling was performed to gauge the direct links and mediating impacts of WIF and FIW simultaneously in the link between psychological resilience and happiness.
Findings
Psychological resilience exerts a dual influence on WIF and FIW. Simply put, psychologically resilient tour guides balance their work demands with those of the family or vice versa and exhibit low levels of WIF and FIW. As hypothesized, WIF and FIW are the two mediating mechanisms relating psychological resilience to happiness.
Practical implications
It is important to create a family-supportive atmosphere where tour guides can avail themselves of family-friendly practices (i.e. family leave, flexible work schedules, breaks to be spent with family members after long tours and convenient working hours). Psychologically resilient tour guides, with the abovementioned practices, would experience alleviated conflicts between work and family roles and would therefore have heightened happiness.
Originality/value
Although the extant literature has presented plenty of empirical studies about the predictors and outcomes of WIF and FIW, evidence about the links of personal resources as third variables to WIF and FIW simultaneously is still scanty. In addition, there is no evidence linking personal resources such as psychological resilience to nonwork outcomes such as happiness through the mediating roles of WIF and FIW. This paper fills in these voids by gauging the links given above using data collected from tour guides, a population that has been subjected to limited inquiry in the WIF and FIW literature.
... In addition, tour guides have been shown to serve as a link between tourists and popular tourist attrac- tions, and studies have shown that their interpretations have a positive effect on tourists' satisfaction [16,17] as well as tourists' loyalty [18]. Specifically, Çetıinkaya and Öter (2016) surveyed 530 tourists who visited Istanbul and discovered that tour guides, as the primary representatives of the destination, have a significant impact on tourist satisfaction and the intention to revisit [19]. Similarly, Syakier and Hanafiah (2022) gathered data from 384 tourists in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and found that tour guide performance and tourist satisfaction positively influence their behavioral intention, which subsequently affects their willingness to revisit and the reputation of the destination [20]. ...
The southern journey by Emperor Qianlong left behind a wealth of cultural resources in the Jiangnan region. While elucidating the intricate facets of these diverse cultures, the tour guide adeptly fulfills the elevated cultural expectations of the tourists. This, in turn, fosters a deeper sense of attachment and loyalty towards the destination among the tourists. This study investigates the influencing mechanism of tour guide cultural interpretation (TCI) on tourists’ loyalty in the context of the southern tour by Emperor Qianlong. The research was conducted with 416 tourists from tour groups visiting Huishan Ancient Town Scenic Area. The results show that TCI has a direct effect on revisit intention (RI) and has an indirect effect on intention to recommend (IR); both memorable tourism experience (MTE) and place attachment (PA) mediate and serially mediate the association between TCI and tourists’ loyalty. The findings enrich the research on the relationship between tour guides’ interpretation and tourists’ loyalty by including MTE and PA as mediating variables.
... Heritage interpretation is integral to the visitor experience at heritage sites, including visitor centres and museums (Tilkin, 2016). It plays a dominant role in affecting customer service quality, enhancing place attractiveness, and creating place identity by communicating heritage values and making heritage meaningful to its audiences (Çetıṅkaya & Öter, 2016;Imon et al., 2011;Uzzell, 1996;Weber, 2018). Frequently, visitor experience involves interactions with heritage sites and local communities, requiring heritage interpretation to reflect the social and cultural contexts that originate from within the communities and then translate it to their audiences (Silberman, 2012). ...
... Past research on interpretation focussed primarily on visitors' perspectives concerning the interpretation process (Hwang & Lee, 2019;Mitsche et al., 2013;Stewart, 2016;Tilkin, 2016), as well as their behaviours, emotions, and context (Çetıṅkaya & Öter, 2016;Kassawnh et al., 2019;Lin et al., 2017;Sedmak & Brezovec, 2017;Yu et al., 2002). Only a few studies have focussed on the primary stakeholder in the heritage interpretation process: the interpreters. ...
This paper explores the critical issues regarding heritage guides’ professional competence development in Macao – a prominent tourist destination – by analysing the current competence development system. The data is collected through semi-structured interviews with professional heritage guides and trainers who lead the guide training programme in Macao. Additionally, official documents and previous research on related topics are reviewed. The study found that the guides, with experience ranging from 2 to 46 years, enhance their professional competence through both formal and informal processes. Three significant factors that impact their competence development are intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and constraints. Based on the findings, practical approaches are suggested for developing professional competence by taking advantage of the opportunities available in Macao. The study also proposes solutions to address the shortcomings and improve the system.
... In the tourism literature, while the role of the modern tourist guide is associated with "guidance" and "mentoring"; "creating a good mood", "making them feel attractive" and "giving information" are shown as the main tasks of tourist guides. In addition, the tourist guide is described in the literature as a "responsible leader", "an educator to help the guest understand the places they visit", "a messenger who extends hospitality and wants to bring visitors back", "a host who can create a comfortable environment for the guest" and "a facilitator who knows when to do these roles" (Cohen, 1985;Çetıṅkaya & Öter, 2016). According to the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) (2012), the definition of a tourist guide is as follows: "A person who guides visitors in the language of their choice and interprets the cultural and natural heritage of an area which person normally possesses an area-specific qualification usually issued and/or recognized by the appropriate authority". ...
Changes in the tourist profile and tourism understanding around the world affect Muslim tourists, who perform tourism actions within the framework of the orders and prohibitions of Islam. In this direction, the aim of this study in the context of halal tourism is to examine the tourist profile and to provide literature support on travel agencies and guidance services in the context of halal tourism by revealing the behavior, expectations, and tendencies of Muslim tourist profiles. The tourist profile in the context of halal tourism, which is attributed as a new tourism concept, and its contribution to the literature on travel agencies and guidance services reveals the importance of this study. From this point of view, in the context of halal tourism, tourist profile, travel agencies, and tourism guidance, services issues were tried to be given under the main headings. It is thought that this chapter will contribute to halal tourism professionals and halal tourism-related researchers.
... Tour Guides have been present for over 2,500 years, and with the advent of modern mass tourism, they have gained significant importance within the travel industry (Cetinkaya & Öter, 2016). In contemporary times, the absence of tour guides would make it exceedingly challenging to manage organized tourism, as they fulfill crucial roles as tour managers, tour leaders (accompanying the group during the journey), and tour guides (providing a warm welcome to the group at the destination) (Cohen, 1985). ...
This study aims to explore the concept and characteristics of being a tour guide in Muslim-friendly tourism. The study identifies tour guides need to possess effectively and cater the needs of Muslim travellers and provide them with a positive and inclusive travel experience. The research utilizes a qualitative approach, employing data collection based on secondary resources such as books, journals, and articles. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of tour guides in Muslim-friendly tourism and provide practical recommendations for tour guides to enhance their servicesfor Muslim travellers.
... Furthermore, some research found that tour guides' performance impacted on tourists' satisfaction with the tour, and subsequently, their loyalty in terms of recommendations and return intentions (e.g., Çetıṅkaya & Öter, 2016;Chan et al., 2015). A contrast-ing strand of research indicated that tour guides' services had limited direct impact on tourist satisfaction with the tour operators and with the overall tourist experience (e.g., Geva & Goldman, 1991;Huang et al., 2010). ...
The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of a bilingual Indonesian tour guide in guiding foreigners coming to Malang, Indonesia. More specifically, this study intended to explore the challenges and strategies in learning and applying two languages. Narrative inquiry is employed in this study to examine the participant’s experiences before and after learning and practicing two languages. This study used a qualitative research design in which the data is described in the form of a description. The research instrument was in the form of open-ended interviews. The participant of this research is a senior tour guide who lives in Malang. The findings of this narrative inquiry indicated that less practice could hinder the participant in applying the two languages and hinder the participant from communicating with foreigners. To cope with the challenges, the participant applied communication strategies by self-taught learning and practice. The study suggests it is crucial to always use and practice the languages, especially for native speakers, to master them. Keywords: bilingualism, learning strategies, narrative inquiry
... In other words, satisfaction depends on individuals' pre-expectation before the trip and the perceived value they receive during the trip. [6] Customer satisfaction is a vital concept in tourism studies. Satisfied tourists will become evangelists for businesses who will have good words of mouth to their relatives or friends and turn them into new customers. ...
The impact of service quality on customer satisfaction at Exotissimo Travel Vietnam –Da Nang Branch was deployed to find out the factors in service quality that affected customer satisfaction. Consequently, the study has recommendations and proposals to the company leadership to better satisfy customer satisfaction. To perform this research, the authors has used two combined research methods: qualitative research and quantitative research. Qualitative research is built on the information and data collected from theories on tourism, economics, marketing, etc., previous research models company documents, and in-depth interviews with experts. Quantitative research was conducted through the interviewing process of 180 Exotissimo’s customers with the questionnaire. The study has detected 5 factors in service quality including Tour guide, Tour price and other services, Tour Program, Transportation, and Brand Image. By SPSS 20.0 Analysis, the authors has expressed results in the research that all 5 factors influent customer satisfaction. In particular, the “tour program” is the most powerful factor affecting tourists’ satisfaction. The following factors are respectively: “Brand Image”, “Tour Prices and other services”, and “Tour Guides”. The lowest factor that affects satisfaction is “Transportation”.
... Moreover, guides should have a combination of competences, skills, knowledge, and behavior, in order to provide a quality tour [18]. For instance, understanding different cultures and traditions of the community is also an important skill if they want to entice visitors to learn more about a museum, heritage site or another tourist site [37,38]. Some studies also emphasize the importance of the right vocational training as well as the professional education of tour guides [1,14]. ...
... A tour guide with high performances will create a positive word of mouth, also affecting tourists' willingness to revisit a destination [22]. The importance of tour guides and their performances are also emphasized by the study of Çetinkaya and Öter [37], who revealed that the lack of personality shown by the tour guides negatively affects tour satisfaction and their willingness to revisit a destination. The article of Alazaizeh et al. [21] also showed that the performance of a tour guide enhances visitor sustainable behaviour. ...
... Using One-way ANOVA and post hoc LSD Test, further differences were found in regard to age and work status, while no statistical significance was found in relation to education, income and frequency of travel. For example, respondents in the age group (65+) most value the Trustworthy Caretaker (TC), followed by the respondents in the age by the age group (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29) and lowest value by the age group (30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39) and (40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49) age group (F = 2.348, p = 0.042). In regard to work status, retired people value more the Trustworthy Caretaker (TC) factor then employed respondents (F = 4.260, p = 0.015). ...
Tour guide performance has been a hotly debated academic topic, owing to the critical role they play in facilitating a variety of tourist experiences. Similarly, museum tour guides are the initial point of contact for tourists and have a substantial impact on the total visitor experience, but their performance is far less investigated. Visitors’ satisfaction and behavior intentions are inextricably linked to museum guide performances in this case. The purpose of this research was to implement and test a well-established scale for assessing tour guide performance in the museum context. Moreover, the aim was also to single out and discuss museum guide types based on their performances. The research was conducted during May and June 2021 on a sample of 255 visitors from five museums in Serbia. The data were processed by SPSS, R and RStudio. The results indicate the existence of five museum guide types: Classic Professional, Agile Empath, Operational Erudite, Trustworthy Caretaker, and Passionate Socializer. The study explores sociodemographic differences in visitors’ evaluations of tour guide performances and gives theoretical and managerial implication for each museum guide type.
