Quality of service as a factor of forming competitiveness in cruise tourism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33987/vsed.2(77).2021.143-162Keywords:
tourism, cruise tourism, cruise services, competitive advantages, factors of competitiveness formation, assessment of service quality, impression economyAbstract
The article highlights the development trends of the cruise industry as a promising direction of tourism industry, which shows steady growth over the past ten years. The aim of the article is to determine the current trends in the cruise market development in modern conditions and the levers for competitive tourist offer formation, taking into account the key principles of behavioral and impression economy. Using the methods of analysis and synthesis made it possible to generalize the competitive advantages of cruise tourism in accordance with modern development trends in the context of an inclusive economy of impressions. The factors of competitiveness formation in cruise tourism are highlighted and the importance of service quality as a determining factor for meeting the needs of tourists is substantiated, which affects the overall satisfaction of tourists and their choice in the future. A number of factors that have a significant influence on the competitiveness formation in cruise tourism are considered. The generally accepted factors that have a significant influence on the cruise industry competitiveness and their relationship with the basic principles of impression economy are analyzed. The interrelation of offer differentiation taking into account the individual subjectivity of the consumer is substantiated. It was proven, that marketing, innovation and service quality are elements of brand image formation and vital elements in a commercial environment and key factors for success in the cruise business sector. The emphasis is made on the importance of service component in the cruise industry competitiveness formation. Recommendations for identifying effective mechanisms for determining the degree of customer satisfaction are formulated. Key groups of quality indicators of cruise services which can influence the general satisfaction of tourists are proposed. The expediency of conducting a survey and questioning of cruise passengers in order to further improve the quality of cruise tourism services to increase the company’s competitiveness is substantiated.
References
Protocol to the Athens Convention on the carriage of passengers and luggage by sea 1974: Convention, International Document, No. 995_094 [Protokol do Afinskoi konventsii pro perevezennia morem pasazhyriv ta yikh bahazhu 1974 roku: Konventsiia, Mizhnarodnyi document, No. 995_094]. Retrieved from: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_094#Text [in Ukrainian]
Mashkovich, E. A. (2007). Assessment of the concept of «tourist destination» in the context of modern tourism [Otsenka ponyatiya «turistskaya destinatsiya» v kontekste sovremennoy turistiki], Izvestiya Irkutskoy gosudarstvennoy ekonomicheskoy akademii, No. 6, s. 89–92 [in Russian]
Golubkova, I. A. (2012). Patterns of cruise tourism development [Zakonomernosti razvitiya kruiznogo turizma], Efektyvna ekonomika, No. 12. Retrieved from: http://www.economy.nayka.com.ua [in Russian]
Nezdoiminov, S. H. (2015). Cruise market of Ukraine in conditions of international integration of regions [Kruiznyi rynok Ukrainy v umovakh mizhnarodnoi intehratsii rehioniv], Hlobalni ta natsionalni problemy ekonomiky, No. 6, s. 565–570 [in Ukrainian]
Nezdoiminov, S. H. (2013). Formation of sea cruise tourism market in the Black Sea regions of Ukraine, Markets of tourist services: state and tendencies of development: monograph. Ed. by V. H. Gerasimenko [Formuvannia rynku morskoho kruiznoho turyzmu v Prychornomorskykh rehionakh Ukrainy. Rynky turystychnykh posluh: stan i tendentsii rozvytku: monohrafiia; za red. V. G. Gerasymenko], Astroprint, Odessa, 304 s., s. 298 [in Ukrainian]
Sanz-Blas, S., Buzova, D. and Schlesinger, W. (2019). The sustainability of cruise tourism onshore: The impact of crowding on visitors’ satisfaction sustainability, Sustainability, Vol. 11 (6), 1510. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11061510.
Changchun, L. Q., Tingting, G., Dai, A. (2014). The Market effect and value-added research about cruise tourism industry, International Journal of Business and Social Science, Vol. 5, No. 13, pр. 170–176.
Oh, H., Fiore, A. M., Jeoung, M. (2007). Measuring experience economy concepts: Tourism applications, Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 46, Issue 2, pр. 119–132.
Hosany, S. & Witham, M. (2010). Dimension of cruisers’ experiences, satisfaction and intention to recommend, Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 49 (3), pр. 351–364. DOI: 10.1177/0047287507304039.
Nezdoyminov, S. G., Andreeva, N. M. (2014). Sea cruise business as a vector of international integration of the Ukrainian sea economy complex [Morskoy kruiznyy biznes kak vektor mezhdunarodnoy integratsii morekhozyaystvennogo kompleksa Ukrainy], Ekonomika pryrodokorystuvannia, No. 7, s. 43–45 [in Russian]
Cruise Travel Trends and State of the Cruise Industry Outlook 2019 / Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) : website. Retrieved from: https://cruising.org/en-gb/news-and-research/press-room/2018/december/2019-cruise-travel-trends-and-state-of-the-cruise-industry-outlook.
Сruise industry overview 2018 / The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association: website. Retrieved from: https://www.f-cca.com/downloads/2018-Cruise-Industry-Overview-and-Statistics.pdf.
Fatkhutdinov, R. A. (2002). Strategic management [Strategicheskiy menedzhment], Delo, Moskva, 448 s. [in Russian]
Morozov, M. A., Voyt, M. N. (2011). Questions of assessment of tourist service quality [Voprosy otsenki kachestva turistskogo obsluzhivaniya], Vestnik Rossiyskogo novogo universiteta: ekonomika, No. 2, s. 192–194 [in Russian]
The cruise industry: General analysis and overview. Retrieved from: http://www.windrosenetwork.com/The-Cruise-Industry-General-Analysis-and-Overview.
Porter, M. (2010). Competition [Konkurentsiya], ID «Vilyams», Moskva, 592 s. [in Russian]
Stojanović, M., Jugović, T., Jugović, A. (2014). Indicators of passenger flows movements on the world and mediterranean cruise market, Scientific Journal of Maritime Research, Vol. 28, No. 1, pр. 40–48. Retrieved from: https://hrcak.srce.hr/123241.
Radic, A., Bjork, P., & Kauppinen-Raisanen, H. (2019). Cruise holidays: How on-board service quality affects passengers’ behavior. Tourism in Marine Environments, Vol. 14, No. 1–2, pp. 45–59. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3727/154427319X15471581334642.
Nesterova, K. S. (2016). Estimation of competitive advantages of Ukraine in world maritime tourist business [Otsinka konkurentnykh perevah Ukrainy u svitovomu morskomu turystychnomu biznesi], Ekonomika. Upravlinnia. Innovatsii, Seriia: ekonomichni nauky, No. 4 (19). Retrieved from: http://nbuv.gov.ua/UJRN/eui_2016_4_10 [in Ukrainian]
MacKay, K. J., and Crompton, J. L. (1990). Measuring the quality of recreation services, Journal of Park and Recreation, Administration, No. 8 (3), pp. 47–56.
Ostrowski, P. L., O’Brien, T. V., Gordon, G. L. (1993). Service quality and customer loyalty in the commercial airline industry, Journal of Marketing, No. 22(2), pp. 16–24.
Parasuraman, A., Grewal, D., Krishnan, R. (2004). Marketing research. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 256 р.
Schiffman, L. G. and Kanuk, L. L. (1997). Consumer behavior. Prentice Hall, London, 183 р.
Petrick, J. F. (2004). The roles of quality, value, and satisfaction in predicting cruise passengers’ behavioral intentions, Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 42 (4), pp. 397–407.
Quality in tourism, The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): website. Retrieved from: http://sdt.unwto.org/en/content/quality-tourism.
Kotler, F. (2007). Marketing. Hospitality. Tourism [Marketing. Gostepriimstvo. Turizm], UNITI-DANA, Moskva, 107 s. [in Russian]
Assessing customer satisfaction level is not a luxury, but a perceived necessity [Otsenka urovnya udovletvorennosti potrebiteley – ne roskosh, a osoznannaya neobhodimost]. Retrieved from: http://www.your-people.ru/udovletvorennost_potrebitelei.php [in Russian]
Opolchenov, I. I. (2008). Quality management in the field of services [Upravlenie kachestvom v sfere uslug], Sovetskiy sport, Moskva, 246 s. [in Russian]
Chaynikov, V. N. (2009). Management of quality and competitiveness of services [Upravlenie kachestvom i konkurentosposobnostyu uslug], Izdatelstvo Chuvashskogo universiteta, Cheboksary, 160 s. [in Russian]
Magomedov, Sh. Sh., Bespalova, G. E. (2013). Product quality management [Upravlenie kachestvom produktsii], Dashkov i Ko., Moskva, 336 s. [in Russian]
Kulagin, E. P. (2010). Quality management [Upravlenie kachestvom], Plamya, N. Novgorod, 150 s. [in Russian]
Ogneva, S. V. (2009). Technical regulation in ensuring the quality of tourist services [Tehnicheskoe regulirovanie v obespechenii kachestva turistskikh uslug], GOU VPO «RGUT i S», Moskva, 335 s. [in Russian]
Teye, V. B., & Leclerc, D. (1998). Product and service delivery satisfaction among North American cruise passengers, Tourism Management, Vol. 19 (2), pp. 153–160.
Qu, H., & Ping, E. W. Y. (1999). A service performance model of Hong Kong cruise travelers’ motivation factors and satisfaction, Tourism Management, Vol. 20 (2), pр. 237–244.
Swain, R. A., & Barth, J. E. (2002). An analysis of cruise ship rating guides, International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration, Vol. 3 (4), pр. 43–60.
Petrick, J. F., Tonner, C., & Quinn, C. (2006). The utilization of critical incident technique to examine cruise passengers’ repurchases intentions, Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 44 (3), pр. 273–280.
Li, Y., & Kwortnik, R. J. (2017). Categorizing cruise lines by passenger perceived experience, Cornell University, School of Hotel Administration: website. Retrieved from: http://scholarship.sha.cornell.edu/articles/1088.
Zhang, Z., Ye, Q., Song, H., & Liu, T. (2015). The structure of customer satisfaction with cruise-line services: An empirical investigation based on online word of mouth, Current Issues in Tourism, Vol. 18 (5), pp. 450–464.
Brida, J. G. and Zapata, S. (2010). Cruise tourism: economic socio-cultural and environmental impacts, International Journal of Leisure and Tourism Marketing, Vol. 1 (3), pp. 205–226. DOI: 10.1504/IJLTM.2010.029585.
Seunghyun “Brian” Park, M. S. (2016). Tourist experiences and word-of-mouth: The medieting effect of memory: an abstract of a dissertation. Department of Hospitality Management College of Human Ecology Manhattan. Kansas State University. 192 p. Retrieved from: https://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2097/32809/SeunghyunPark2016.pdf; jsessionid=618C0B9DA1E5FE0CFAB87C6D429B52E2?sequence=5.
Carifio, J., Perla, R. J. (2007). Ten common misunderstandings, misconceptions, persistent myths and urban legends about likert scales and likert response formats and their antidotes, Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 3 (3), pp. 106–116. DOI: 10.3844/jssp.2007.106.116.
Quadri, D. L. (2012). An experience economy analysis of tourism development along the Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail: graduate theses and dissertations. 12443. Retrieved from: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/12443.
Kwortnik, R. J. (2008). Shipscape influence on the leisure cruise experience, International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, Vol. 2 (4), pp. 289–311. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/17506180810908961.
Cruise competitive benchmark report. Retrieved from: https://keylimeinteractive.com/ reports/cruise-benchmark-report.
Testa, M. and Sullivan, K. (2002). Customer satisfaction, quality in cruise industry, Hospitality Review, Vol. 20, Iss. 2, Article 1. Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/ hospitalityreview/vol20/iss2/1.
Li, Y., & Kwortnik, R. Categorizing cruise lines by passenger perceived experience. Journal of Travel Research. Vol. 56, Issue 7, рp. 941–956. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/ 0047287516674602.
Nesterova, K. S. (2016). State regulatory policy to promote maritime tourism in Ukraine: dissertation abstract [Derzhavna rehuliatorna polityka spryiannia rozvytku morskoho turyzmu v Ukraini : avtoref. dys. kand. ekon. nauk], Instytut problem rynku ta ekonomiko-ekolohichnykh doslidzheh NAN Ukrainy, Odessa, 21 s. [in Ukrainian]
Baker, D. McA. & Fulford, M. D. (2016). Cruise passengers’ perceived value and willingness to recommend, Tourism & Management Studies, Vol. 12 (1), pр. 74–85.
Marcussen, C. H. (2016). Quantitative analyses in cruise tourism studies. In book: Cruise business development, Springer International Publishing, Verlag, pр. 251–278. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-27353-2_16.