Japanese tourists' perceptions of their tour guides: Australian experience

Abstract

This small exploratory study examines Japanese tourists' expectations and perceptions of service provided by their Australian tour guides prior to and after receiving the service. In total, the service expectations and perceptions of 80 Japanese tourists were measured on arrival and on departure from Australia. Ten areas of service provided were analysed, ie being professional, friendly, polite, informative, helpful, able to fulfil tourists' needs, capable of speaking Japanese, able to solve problems, knowledgeable of Japanese history and culture, and knowledgeable of Australian history and culture. The difference between torrrists' expectations and perceptions was evident in one out of ten areas of service, that is, of information giving. On departure, Japanese tourists perceived the Australian tour guides as less informative than they expected prior to their arrival in Australia. The implications of this finding for the Australian tour guides and the importance of quality of service measurement for marketing purposes are discussed.