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Measuring service quality of travel agents: evidence from Northern Cyprus

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  • Nick Johns
  • Turgay Avcí
  • Osman M. Karatepe

Abstract

Service quality delivered by travel agents in Northern Cyprus was examined using a SERVQUAL scale. The translated instrument was purified using an item-categorisation technique and administered to 337 current users of travel agents in the region. Expectations and performance (SERVPERF) scores indicated that respondents were concerned most with the efficiency and least with the personalisation of the services offered. The largest service gaps were identified with the ‘modern’ appearance of the service and service-scape, and the smallest with interpersonal qualities of service. Multiple regression showed promptness, empathy, efficiency and service-scape aesthetics to be the main determinants of customer satisfaction. SERVPERF scores gave a better prediction of overall satisfaction and showed marginally better reliability and validity than those from which expectations were subtracted. Instead of the predicted SERVQUAL five-factor solution, factor analysis showed an underlying uni-dimensionality that is consistent with the findings of other authors. Possible management actions suggested by the findings are discussed in the context of the small business environment in Northern Cyprus.

Suggested Citation

  • Nick Johns & Turgay Avcí & Osman M. Karatepe, 2004. "Measuring service quality of travel agents: evidence from Northern Cyprus," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3), pages 82-100, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:servic:v:24:y:2004:i:3:p:82-100
    DOI: 10.1080/0264206042000247777
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Dunja Meštrović & Nina J. Zugic, 2018. "Students’ Perceptions of Service Quality, Satisfaction, and Word-Of-Mouth: Scale Adaptation and Validation on a Sample of ICT and STEM Students," Tržište/Market, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, vol. 30(2), pages 195-211.
    2. Okan Veli Safakli, 2007. "Testing Servqual Dimensions on the Commercial Bank Sector of Northern Cyprus," Financial Theory and Practice, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 31(2), pages 185-201.
    3. María-Victoria Sánchez-Rebull & Veronika Rudchenko & Juan-Carlos Martín, 2018. "The antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction in tourism: a systematic literature review," Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, vol. 24(1), pages 151-183, May.
    4. Orthodox Tefera & Stephen Migiro, 2019. "The Relationship amongst Customer Satisfaction, Loyalty, Demographic and Tripographic1 Attributes: A Case of Star Rated Hotel Guests in Ethiopia," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 10(6), pages 16-29.
    5. Ovidiu I. Moisescu & Oana A. Gica, 2014. "The Impact of Service Quality on Customer Behavioral Loyalty in the Case of Travel Agencies from Romania," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 16(Special 8), pages 1191-1191, August.
    6. Zhang, Jingyun & Beatty, Sharon E. & Walsh, Gianfranco, 2008. "Review and future directions of cross-cultural consumer services research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 61(3), pages 211-224, March.
    7. Brzezińska-Wójcik Teresa & Widz Monika, 2017. "Evaluation of the Quality of Tourist Packages in Tunisia by Polish Tourists: A Case Study Using the SERVPERF Method," Turyzm / Tourism, Sciendo, vol. 27(2), pages 11-21, December.
    8. Meštrović, Dunja, 2016. "The Impact of Service Quality on Students' Satisfaction and the Word-of-Mouth: The Case of the University of Rijeka Departments," Proceedings of the ENTRENOVA - ENTerprise REsearch InNOVAtion Conference (2016), Rovinj, Croatia, in: Proceedings of the ENTRENOVA - ENTerprise REsearch InNOVAtion Conference, Rovinj, Croatia, 8-9 September 2016, pages 440-445, IRENET - Society for Advancing Innovation and Research in Economy, Zagreb.
    9. Yu-Cheng Lee & Jih-Kuang Chen, 2009. "A new service development integrated model," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(12), pages 1669-1686, December.

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