A holistic evaluation framework for inbound tour operator service quality in Cameroon

Abstract

In this era of globalisation, competition, and a global pandemic (COVID-19), the assessment of service quality is vital for the success of inbound tour operators in Cameroon. The problem of poor service quality in Cameroon, despite the country’s rich touristic potential, necessitated an empirical study aimed at fashioning a service quality evaluation framework for ITOs. A sequential explanatory mixed-method design was employed in the study. Using the purposive sampling technique through the administration of online questionnaires to staff and customers of ITOs, quantitative data was collected from managers [n=12], employees [n=5] and customers [n=126]. The data collected was used to prepare in-depth semi-structured interviews with seven (7) tourism experts/professionals. A quantitative data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics obtained through the customer and manager questionnaires. Inferential statistics regarding customers were applied to test hypotheses using the Pearson product–moment correlation while inferential statistics regarding managers were applied to test hypotheses using the Kendall rank correlation. Conversely, a qualitative data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics and an inferential analysis was performed through the application of grounded theory. The final outcome was the identification of determinant factors of service quality in respect to TOs and the development of a service quality path model, which revealed that both customer-centric and service-centric outcomes must be combined to achieve comprehensive service quality evaluation objectives that will lead to the attainment of the satisfaction zone. The main contributions of this study were academic and practical in nature. From an academic perspective, this study provided more insight into the existing relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable. Hence, theoretical development occurred by integrating the dimensions of the TO service quality evaluation model and the SERVQUAL model with service quality evaluation. From a practical perspective, this study led to the formulation of an integrated operational system that TOs and service marketers can adopt to enhance service quality.

In hierdie era van globalisering, mededinging en ’n globale pandemie (COVID-19), is die assessering van diensgehalte deurslaggewend tot die sukses van inkomende toeroperateurs in Kameroen. ’n Empiriese studie wat daarop gemik is om ’n diensgehalte-evalueringsraamwerk vir inkomende toeroperateurs te modelleer is genoodsaak deur die probleem van diens van ’n swak gehalte in Kameroen in weerwil van die land se ryk toeristiese potensiaal.’n Sekwensiële, verklarende gemengdemetode-ontwerp is vir die onderhawige studie aangewend. Kwantitatiewe data is versamel deur die doelbewuste steekproefnemingstegniek te gebruik. Die tegniek is deur middel van aanlynvraelyste aan personeel en kliënte van inkomende toeroperateurs, naamlik, bestuurders [n=12], werknemers [n=5] en kliënte [n=126] geadministreer. Die data wat ingesamel is, is gebruik om deurtastende, semigestruktureerde onderhoude met sewe (7) kundige/professionele persone uit toerisme geledere voor te berei. Kwantitatiewe dataontleding is uitgevoer deur die gebruik van deskriptiewe statistiek wat uit die kliënt- en bestuurdervraelyste verkry is. Inferensiële statistiek oor kliënte is aangewend om hipoteses te toets deur die Pearson produk-momentkorrelasie te gebruik, onderwyl inferensiële statistiek oor bestuurders aangewend is om hipoteses deur middel van die Kendall-rangkorrelasie te toets. Omgekeerd, is ’n kwalitatiewe dataontleding deur die gebruik van deskriptiewe statistiek uitgevoer, en ’n inferensiële ontleding is uitgevoer deur die aanwending van die kennisteorie. Die vernaamste resultaat was die identifisering van diensgehalte-determinantfaktore ten opsigte van toeroperateurs en die ontwikkeling van ’n model vir ’n diensgehaltebaan wat onthul het dat beide kliëntgesentreerde en diensgesentreerde-uitkomste gekombineer moet word om omvattende diensgehalte-evalueringsdoelwitte te verkry wat in die verwerwing van die voldoeningsone sal afloop. Die hoofbydraes van hierdie studie was akademies en prakties van aard. Vanuit ’n akademiese perspektief het die studie meer insig na die bestaande verhouding tussen die onafhanklike veranderlikes en die afhanklike veranderlike gebied. Gevolglik het teoretiese ontwikkeling plaasgevind deur die dimensies van die toeroperateur-diensgehalte-evalueringsmodel en die SERVQUAL-model met diensgehalte-evaluering te integreer. Vanuit ’n praktiese perspektief, het hierdie studie aanleiding gegee tot die formulering van ’n geïntegreerde bedryfstelsel wat toeroperateurs en diensbemarkers kan aanneem ten einde diensgehalte te versterk.

Kulesi sikhathi se-globalisation, ukuqhudelana kanye nobhubhane lwesifo samazwe omhlaba (i-COVID-19), uhlolo lweqophelo lamasevisi lubalulekile kwimpumelelo yama-operator ezokuvakasha e-Cameroon. Inkinga yeqophelo elingelihle lamasevisi e-Cameroon, ngisho noma kukhona umthamo ojulile wezabavakashi ubangele ukuthi kwenziwe ucwaningo olunobufakazi oluqonde ekwakheni uhlaka lwesevisi yeqophelo kubavakashi abangena ezweni. Kusetshenziswe amamethodi axubene encazelo yokulandelelana kucwaningo. Ngokusebenzisa ithekniki ye-purposive sampling ngokwenza imibuzo ebhaliwe yama-questionnaire nge-online kubasebenzi kanye namakhastama, abavakashi abangena ezweni, kuqoqwe i-quantitative data kumamininjela [n=12], abasebenzi [n=5] kanye namakhastama [n=126]. Ulwazi oluqoqiwe lusetshenziswe ukulungiselela ama-interview ajulile ama-semi-structured nochwepheshe/amaprofeshinari ezokuvakasha abangu 7. Kwenziwe uhlaziyo lolwazi ngobuningi, ngokusebenzisa i-descriptive statistics ngokwenza ama-questionnaire amakhastama kanye namamininjela. Kusetshenziswe i-inferential statistics mayelana namakhastama ukuthesta i-hypotheses ngokusebenzisa i-Pearson product–moment correlation kanti kwasetshenziswa i-inferential statistics mayelana namamininjela ukuthesta i-hypotheses ngokusebenzisa i-Kendall rank correlation. Ngakho-ke kwenziwe uhlaziyo lolwazi lwe-qualitative ngokusebenzisa i-descriptive statistics kanye nohlaziyo lwe-inferential ngokusebenzisa i-grounded theory. Inhloso enkulu bekuwukubona ama-determinant factor eqophele lesevisi mayelana nama-tour operator kanye nokwenza indlela yemodeli yeqophelo lesevisi, ekhombise ukuthi imiphumela yokuqondisa kumakhastama nokuqondisa kumasevisi kumele kuhlanganiswe ukufinyelela izinjongo zohlolo lweqophelo yesevisi ukufinyelela izinjongo zokuhlola ukujula kweqophelo lesevisi okuzoba nomphumela wokufinyelela umkhakha wokweneliseka. Umthelela omkhulu walolu cwaningo ubongowesi-akhademiki kanye nokubambeka ngokwenhlobo. Ngaso hlangothini lweze-akhademiki, lolu cwaningo luhlinzeke ngombono ojulile ngobudlelwana phakathi kwama-variable azimele kanye nama-variable ancike kokunye. Ngakho-ke ukwenziwa kwethiyori kwenzeke ngokuhlanganisa amadayamenshini emodeli yohlolo lweqophelo yesevisi yama-tour operator kanye nemodeli ye-SERVQUAL ngohlolo lweqophelo yesevisi. Ngasohlangothini lokubambekayo, lolu cwaningo luholele ekwenziweni kwesistimu ye-integrated operation yama-tour operator kanye nabamakethi bamasevisi abangawasebenzisa ukuthuthukisa iqophelo lesevisi.