Determination of tour operators' service quality perception in Lithuania

Abstract

The field of services can be named as one of the most rapidly growing economic sectors in Lithuania. The trend is important in tourism industry, where competition as well as processes of changing consumer requirements is constantly intensifying. This encourages organizations to pay greater attention to recognition of customer expectations, constant improvements of the main competitive advantage – service quality. Customer satisfaction depends on the fulfilment of service quality dimensions, such as tangibility, reliability, assurance, responsiveness, and empathy. Accordingly, it is necessary for service organizations such as tour operators to understand the most important service quality dimensions for their customers. The findings reveal the incapacity of tour operators to percept and detect customer expectations; this resulted in discrepancies between quality standards and service provision process perceived by customers.