Application of importance-performance model in tour guides' performance: evidence from mainland Chinese outbound visitors in Hong Kong

Using the importance-performance analysis (IPA) model, this study assesses the performance of Hong Kong's tour guides as perceived by mainland Chinese outbound visitors. Twenty pertinent tour guide service quality attributes are identified. The results of IPA illustrate that Hong Kong's tour guides performed well in 11 out of the 20 service quality attributes, in areas mainly related to their professional skills, reliability and language ability (keep up the good work quadrant), while the problem-solving ability of Hong Kong's tour guides fell into the concentrate here quadrant. The study illustrates that the IPA model as a useful managerial tool can be applied in identifying areas to which marketing resources should be allocated in order to improve and enhance the quality of tour guide services provided. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.