EXPLORING THE EXCELLENCE: UNRAVELING THE SERVICE QUALITY OF TOUR BUS OPERATORS IN THAILAND
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/aamr.2024.12Keywords:
Tour Bus, Transportation for Tourism, Service Quality, LogisticsAbstract
Chartered buses or tour buses have become a prevalent mode of transportation for tourists in Thailand, owing to the inadequate, inconvenient, and time-consuming public transport infrastructure. Given the intensifying competition, it is imperative for tour bus operators to provide high-quality services. This study aimed to identify the management problems faced by tour bus entrepreneurs and examine service quality from the perspective of users. To achieve this, both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed, with a sample group comprising 100 bus company representatives, including owners, executives, and employees, as well as 400 bus users, comprising tour guides and tourists selected via purposive sampling. Data was collected through interviews and questionnaires. The findings indicated that the main management problems faced by bus companies were caused by internal factors, including planning and staffing, while existing regulations also affected bus operations. Moreover, customers were least satisfied with the quality of service in terms of empathy. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between overall service quality expectations and perceptions at the 0.01 level. Furthermore, significant differences were found in terms of assurance, tangibles, reliability, and responsiveness at the 0.01 level. These results provide bus entrepreneurs with guidelines to develop their management and services.
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