A Study of Southeast Asia Tourists' Perceptions of Service Quality in the San Francisco Bay Area

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of the study was to assess the service quality perceived by Southeast Asia tourists in the San Francisco Bay Area tourism industry. A structured questionnaire was developed to collect data and systematic random sampling was used to survey Southeast Asia tourists at the San Francisco International Airport in July 1999. A total of 223 completed questionnaires were returned and the descriptive and multivariate analyses were used to analyze the data. Nine underlying dimensions of perceived service quality were derived from the original 43 attributes and the results of MANOVA and ANOVA showed that Southeast Asia tourists of different demographic characteristics had distinct perceptions toward the nine factors. Five determinants, “location and choice,” “value and quality of foodservice,” “attractions and environment,” “clean and safe environment,” and “local residents' attitudes” were identified as strong indicators of travelers' likelihood of coming back to the San Francisco Bay area.