Understanding the normative expectations of customers toward Buddhism-themed hotels: A revisit of service quality

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to understand the normative expectations of travelers on the services and experiences provided by Buddhism-themed hotels as well as how service providers perceive such expectations. The growth of religion-themed hotels in China follows a larger and more generalized global marketing trend in terms of providing tourists and consumers with “themed” experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the service quality model, this study investigates these expectations of Buddhism-themed hotels in China. The Delphi method was used with two expert panels, namely, travelers and tourism/hotel practitioners. Preliminary interviews revealed 98 normative expectations from Buddhism-themed hotels. Two sets of Delphi questionnaires were used to compare tourist expectations with practitioner perceptions.

Findings

Results show a wide range of expectations of travelers staying in Buddhism-themed hotels. They also reveal how the expectations of the two groups aligned as well as differed.

Research limitations/implications

This study extends the application of the service quality model to the context of religion-themed hotels. As this study adopted the Delphi technique through criterion sampling, future studies should use a larger random sample to verify the results of this study.

Practical implications

The results help religion-themed hoteliers to understand their customer expectations better.

Originality/value

Given the lack of studies on religion-themed hotels, especially on the gap between tourist expectations and service providers’ perceptions, this study is a timely contribution to improve the understanding on the needs and expectations of customers when visiting religion-themed hotels.

Citation

Hung, K., Wang, S. and Tang, C. (2015), "Understanding the normative expectations of customers toward Buddhism-themed hotels: A revisit of service quality", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 27 No. 7, pp. 1409-1441. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-12-2012-0264