Evaluation of Tourists’ Spa Experiences in Thailand

Main Article Content

Prateep Wetprasit, Ph.D.

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.

Article Details

How to Cite
Wetprasit, P. (2019). Evaluation of Tourists’ Spa Experiences in Thailand. Journal of International Studies, Prince of Songkla University, 9(1), 106–138. Retrieved from https://so03.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jis/article/view/203775
Section
Research Articles

References

Al-Sabbahy, H. Z., Ekinci, Y., & Riley, M. (2004). An Investigation of Perceived Value Dimensions: Implications for Hospitality Research. Journal of Travel Research, 42(3), 226-234.

Bitner, M. J. (1990). Evaluating Service Encounters: The Effects of Physical Surroundings and Employee Responses. Journal of Marketing, 54(2), 69-82.

Bowen, R. & David, E. (2005). Service Quality. Blackwell Encyclopedic Dictionary of Human

Resource Management, 340-341.

Brysland, A. & Curry, A. (2001). Service Improvements in public services using SERVQUAL. Managing Service Quality, 11(6), 389-401.

Chang, H. H. & Chen, S. W. (2009). Consumer perception of interface quality, security, and loyalty in electronic commerce. Information & Management, 46, 411–417.

Coakes, S.J. & Steed, L. (2007). SPSS Version 14.0 for Windows: Analysis without Anguish. India: Wiley-India.

Cronin, J. J., Brady, M. K., & Hult, T. (2000). Assessing the effects of quality, value, and customer satisfaction on consumer behavioral intentions in service environments. Journal of Retailing, 76(2), 193-218.

Cronin, J. J., & Taylor, S. A. (1992). Measuring service quality; a re-examination and Extension. The Journal of Marketing, 56(3), 55-68.

Department of Business Development, Ministry of Commerce (2014). Annual Report 2014.Retrieved on February20, 2017 from http://www.dbd.go.th/dbdweb_en/main.php?filename=index

Department of international trade promotion. (2016). Spa in Thailand. Retrieved on January 15, 2017 from http://www.ditp.go.th/ewtadmin/ewt/ditp/ebook/B0066/index.html

Doyle, A. (2018). Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills: What's the Difference? The Balance. Retrieved on

March 20, 2018 from https://www.thebalance.com/ hard-skills-vs-soft-skills-2063780

Global Wellness Institute. (2014). Global Wellness Tourism Economy Report. Retrieved on February 18, 2017 from https://www.globalwellnessinstitute.org/industry-research/

Grewal, D., Monroe, K. B., & Krishman, R. (1998). The effects of price-comparison advertising on buyers' perceptions of acquisition value, transaction value, and behavioral intentions. Journal of Marketing, 62(2), 46-59.

Griffin, J. (1995). Customer Loyalty: How to Earn It, How to Keep It. New York, USA: Lexington Books.

Hair Jr, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2014). Multivariate Data Analysis.7th Edition. London: Pearson Education Limited.

Heskett, J. L., Sasser, E. W., & Schlesinger, L. A. (2003). The Value profit chain: treat employees like customers and customers like employees. New York: Free Press.

Jang, S. & Namkung, Y. (2009). Perceived quality, emotions and behavioral intentions: Application of an extended Mehrabian-Russell model to restaurants. Journal of Business Research, 62(4), 451-460.

Jang, S., Ha, J., & Park, K. (2012). Effect of ethnic authenticity: Investigating Korean restaurant customers in the U.S. International Journal and Hospitality Management, 31, 990-1003.

Jeong, M., Oh, H., & Gregoire, M. (2003). Conceptualizing Web Site Quality and Its Consequences in the Lodging Industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 22(2), 161–175.

Kheng, L. L., Mahamad, O., Ramayah, T., & Mosahab, R. (2010). The Impact of Service Quality on Customer Loyalty: A Study of Banks in Penang, Malaysia. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 2(2), 57-66.

Krungsri Bank Public Company. (2005). Economy benefits via service industry. Economics Outlook. Retrieved November 10, 2005 from http://www.krungsri.com /PDF/ECONOMY/ANALYSIS/oct47_02.pdf

Kotler, P. and Keller, K. (2012). Marketing management.13th Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Krajewski, L. J. & Ritzman, L. P. (2005). Operations management: processes and value chains. London: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Lee, J. H., Kim, H. D., Ko, Y. J., & Sagas, M. (2011). The influence of service quality on satisfaction and intention: A gender segmentation strategy. Sport Management Review, 14(1), 54-63.

Liat, C. B., Mansori, S., & Huei, C. T. (2014). The Associations Between Service Quality, Corporate Image, Customer Satisfaction, and Loyalty: Evidence from the Malaysian Hotel Industry. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 23(3), 314–326.

Lytle, R. S. & Timmerman, J. E. (2006). Service orientation and performance: an organizational perspective. Journal of Services Marketing, 20(2), 136-147.

Malleret, T. (2018). Will wellness become simpler in 2018? Global Wellness Institute. Retrieved on January 2018 from https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/global-wellness-institute-blog/2018/02/13/2018-2-13-will-wellness-become-simpler-in-2018/

Ministry of Public Health. (2016). Spa operators in Thailand. Retrieved on 20 January 16, 2017 from http://203.157.7.49/securereport/myReportViewer.aspx?reportpath=/HSS_SPA_Report/Spa

Nam, J., Ekinci, Y., & Whyatt, G. (2011). Brand Equity, Brand Loyalty and Consumer Satisfaction. Annals of Tourism Research, 38(3), 1009–1030.

Newman, S. (2008). Changing skill needs: What makes people employable? Industrial and Commercial Training, 29(6), 190-193.

Nicolich, M. A. & Sparks, B. A. (1995). The hospitality service encounter: the role of communication. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 19(2), 43-56.

Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64(1), 12-40.

Petrick, J. F. (2004). The Roles of Quality, Value, and Satisfaction in Predicting Cruise Passengers’ Behavioral Intentions. Journal of Travel Research, 42(4), 397-407.

Petrick, J. F. & Backman, S. J. (2002). An Examination of the Construct of Perceived Value for the Prediction of Golf Travelers’ Intentions to Revisit. Journal of Travel Research, 41(1), 38-45.

Poretla, M. & Thanassoulis, M. (2005). Interpersonal communication skills that enhance organizational commitment. Journal of Communication Management, 12(1), 51-72.

Qiu, H., Ye, B. H., Bai, B., & Wang, W. H. (2015). Do the Roles of Switching Barriers on Customer Loyalty Vary for Different Types of Hotels? International Journal of Hospitality Management, 46, 89–98.

Schweder, I. R. (2016). Thailand Medical & Wellness Tourism Trade & Media Familiarization Trip. Retrieved on November 12, 2017 from http://www.globalwellnesssummit.com/wp-content/uploads/Industry-Briefing-Papers/PDFs/Thailand-2013-Ingo-Schweder.pdf

Sharma, A. and Mehta, V., (2005). Service Quality Perceptions in Financial Services - A Case Study of Banking Service. Journal of services research, 4(2), 205-223.

Solomon, M. R. (2009). Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having, and Being. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Tam, J.L.M. (2000). The effects of service quality, perceived value and customer satisfaction on behavioral intentions. Journal of Hospitality and Leisure Marketing, 6(4), 31-44.

Tian-Cole, S., Crompton, J., & Wilson, V. L. (2002). An Empirical Investigation of the Relationships Between Service Quality, Satisfaction and Behavioral Intentions Among Visitors to a Wildlife Refuge. Journal of Leisure Research., 34(1), 1-24.

Yee, R. W., Yeung, A. C., & Cheng, T. E. (2010). An Empirical Study of Employee Loyalty, Service Quality and Firm Performance in the Service Industry. International Journal of Production Economics, 124(1), 109–120.

Zeithaml, V. A., Parasuraman, A., & Berry, L. L. (1990). Delivering Quality Service: Balancing Customer Perceptions and Expectations. New York, NY: Free Press.

Zeithaml, V. A., Berry, L. L., & Parasuraman, A. (1996). The Behavioral Consequences of Service Quality. Journal of Marketing, 60(2), 31-46.

Zeithaml, V. A. (1988). Consumer perceptions of price, quality, and value: A means-end model and synthesis of evidence. Journal of Marketing, 52, 2-21.