Service quality as a determinant of customer satisfaction and resulting behavioural intentions: A SEM approach towards Malaysian resort hotels

Despite extensive research on service quality and its consequences, there is still a lack of empirical research examining these variables in the context of resort hotels. In filling the gap, this study aims to assess service quality as determinant of customer satisfaction and resulting behavioural intentions in the context of Malaysian resort hotels. Based on the literature review, this study validates a new operationalization of service quality and hypothesises its significant effects on customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions. Based on convenience sampling, 425 questionnaires were received from the guests of Malaysian resort hotels. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the collected data and the findings point out that, in general, guests were satisfied with the quality of the services provided by Malaysian resort hotels. It is also revealed that better perceptions of hotel ambience and staff courtesy, food and beverage products, staff performance and knowledge, reservation services and financial value were more likely to develop customer satisfaction which was, in turn, more likely to result in positive behavioural intentions such as revisit intentions or intentions to recommend it to others. The implications of these findings, limitation of the study and future research suggestions are also discussed.