Evaluation of Tourists’ Spa Experiences in Thailand
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Abstract
The purpose of the study is to examine customers’ perceptions of service quality in the Thai spa industry. The aims are to determine the factor structure of service quality perception, using the modified SERQUAL model and to investigate the relationship between the service quality of the spa, the perceived value, customer satisfaction and their impact on behavioral intention. A modified SERVQUAL scale was used to access service quality perceptions from the perspective of international tourists. Data were collected in 50 spa operators, particularly in five main tourist destinations of Thailand, using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and multiple regression analysis (MRA) were employed. The study results indicate the rather high expectations of spa customers regarding service quality. ‘Reliability’, ‘customer care’, tangibility’, and ‘competence’ are the key factors that best explained customers’ expectations of spa service quality. The MRA results showed that ‘perceived value’, ‘reliability’, ‘customer care’, ‘tangibility’, and ‘customer satisfaction’ significantly impacted on customers’ behavioral intentions. Thus, the findings can be used as a guide for spa operators to improve crucial quality attributes, and enhance service quality and business performance.
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