Evaluating the Optional Tours Service Quality and its Effect on Tourist's Satisfaction in Marsa Alam City

Abstract

Optional Tours are one of the most important activities in the tourism industry and can provide substantial gains to tourists and tourism businesses as well as host communities. In addition, optional tours are now one of the main products in Egypt. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the of optional tours services presented by travel agencies and their effect on tourist's satisfaction in Marsa Alam city. To achieve the aims of the study, quantitative approach based on a questionnaire was developed and directed to a sample of Egyptian and foreign tourists. The questionnaire was handled to 550 Egyptians tourists and 140 foreign tourists. Out of this number, 452 forms were available for analysis representing 82.1% response rate for Egyptian tourists and 97 forms were available for analysis representing 69.3% response rate for foreign tourists. The results indicated that Egyptians tourists felt safe during implementing their optional tours, whereas, the foreign tourists are satisfied with modern technology which travel agencies used in showing and selling optional tours. Moreover, the Egyptians tourists suffered from not providing the need information about the trip, whereas, foreign tourists suffered from the travel agency not implemented the optional tours as had been announced and purchased