Servqual and guest satisfaction during COVID-19 Pandemic in selected destinations in Nueva Ecija
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Date
2023
Authors
Shae Yra D. Balmeo
Chris Denniel M. Baltazar
Wendell S. Villafuerte
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Abstract
The tourism and hospitality industry may be considered the largest service-based industry in the world, with a rapidly expanding market. In 2020, COVID-19 Pandemic forced the majority of tourism destinations to cease operations as a result of lockdown procedures, travel prohibitions, cancelled reservations and local logistics. In the current global setting, it is important to explore and understand guest behavioral and emotional responses toward the environment health and safety, and security to enhance guest satisfaction, loyalty, sustainability and profitability of the organization.
This study utilized correlational study design to investigate the relationship between service quality and guest satisfaction. A descriptive correlational design was employed to examine service quality, it dimensions, and the rate of guest satisfaction in three selected destinations in Nueva Ecija. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire based on the Servqual Model. A non-probability sampling, specifically snowball sampling, was used to recruit participants who have visited these destinations during the pandemic. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was employed to analyze the data using mode responses and Spearman's Rank-Order Correlation to assess the degree of relationship between service quality and guest satisfaction.
The findings revealed that while guests may agree with statements on service quality, their overall satisfaction was seen to vary due to unmet expectations and individual preferences. The study highlighted the significance of reliability as a determinant of service quality based on previous research, and identified a notable shift in guest satisfaction where health and safety have emerged as the most important dimension. This shift indicated guests' heightened awareness and sensitivity toward potential risks, emphasizing the crucial role of effective health and safety protocols in shaping overall guest satisfaction. the results would contribute to a better understanding of guest expectations and the evolving dynamics of service quality in the context of a crisis.