Service Quality Assessment In Ecotourism Areas: The Case Of Tasik Kenyir Resort Management
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Date
2012-02
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Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
In a recent debate to improve resorts management in ecotourism area, the suitability of customer satisfaction survey in order to improve the quality of service in the resorts and in the ecotourism has become an issue. The main purpose of the study is to measure the level of customer satisfaction with products and services offered and to identify the factors that influence customer satisfaction.This study was conducted in Kenyir Lake Terengganu. Kenyir Lake was chosen as the study area because these areas meet the characteristics of ecotourism area. Respondents for this survey are the customers who come to Kenyir Lake and stay at any resort at least one night. In order to achieve research objectives, SERVQUAL Model was applied in this study. However, this model has been modified in order to suit with this study with additional three-dimension; “Price”, “Perceived Value” and “Sustainabilility”. Next, questionnaires were formed based on this research model. Survey Questions was divided into 3 parts; Customer Demographics, Customer Expectations and Customer Experiences. The data were analyzed using the Reliability Test, Descriptive Analysis and Paired t-test. The results showed that, in general, tourists are dissatisfied, in the sense that their expectations value exceeds their experiences value. This study also shows that sustainability dimension were the dimensions that influence customer satisfaction. This is followed by Tangibility dimension, Responsiveness, Empathy, Perceived Value and Price dimension. Therefore resort operators, local authorities and researchers should focus on these
dimensions in order to improve the quality of products and services offered in the ecotourism area.
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Keywords
Service quality assessment in ecotourism areas , Tasik Kenyir resort management