African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure (Feb 2018)
Tourist Services Quality in the Simien Mountains National Park, World Heritage Site, Ethiopia.
Abstract
Service quality in the hospitality industry becomes one of the vital contributing factors in tourism marketing. Quality is created by the process of service delivery, such as friendliness, courtesy and efficiency, and the outcomes of services such as accommodation, food, attractions and leisure facilities. The objective of the research was to assess the quality of products and services being delivered within the Simien Mountains National Park (SMNP). A cross-sectional study design was used to describe the quality of products and services being delivered to visitors in the SMNP. The target population in this study was 4,767 foreign tourists and foreign residents who visited the SMNP and from this total, 268 individuals were taken as the sample size. Both probability and non-probability sampling methods were employed. Data were collected for foreign tourists and foreign residents who visited SMNP in the year of 2017. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 was employed to analyze the quantitative data. To describe the survey results, descriptive statistical tools such as frequency distribution, percentages, mean graphs, and tables were used. To triangulate quantitative information, qualitative data generated from open-ended questions were employed. Visitors who visited the park were satisfied with an overall mean value of 3.6, relating to the major qualities of the tourism product such as weather conditions, the value for money of visitor attractions, accessibility, safety and security, and cleanliness of the local environment. Service quality had an overall mean value of 2.69, based on services delivered by tour guides; cooks; hotels, lodges and restaurants; scouts; car and field equipment rental services; and the value for money of the service delivery in the SMNP was considered poor. Tourists were not satisfied by accommodation quality with the overall mean value of 2.87, and with an overall mean value of 2.65 park visitors were not satisfied with the park infrastructure. The quality of tourist information delivered by service providers was poor, failing to satisfy tourists who visited the destination. With the overall mean value of 3.62 visitors were satisfied with park community hospitality such as courtesy, the friendliness of local people and employees and their willingness to help.
