SERVICE QUALITY OF LOCAL RESTAURANTS FROM TOURISTS’ PERSPECTIVES AFFECTING REVISIT INTENTION AND WORD-OF-MOUTH RECOMMENDATION: A CASE STUDY OF MUEANG TRANG DISTRICT, TRANG PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1) Examine the service quality of local restaurants in Mueang Trang District, Trang Province from tourists’ perspectives; 2) Investigate the relationship between the service quality of local restaurants and tourists’ revisit intention; and 3) Investigate the relationship between the service quality of local restaurants and tourists’ word-of-mouth recommendation. This study employed a quantitative research approach. The sample size table at a 95 percent confidence level and a margin of error of 0.05, yielding a total of 398 respondents. The respondents were selected using non-probability sampling through accidental sampling from Thai tourists who visited local restaurants in Mueang Trang District, Trang Province. The research instrument was a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, multiple regression analysis, and content analysis. The findings revealed that the highest-rated dimension of service quality was assurance, followed by tangibles, reliability, empathy, and responsiveness, respectively. The hypothesis testing indicated that empathy was significantly related to tourists’ revisit intention, whereas assurance was significantly related to tourists’ word-of-mouth recommendation. The findings can be used as guidelines for improving the service quality of local restaurants by emphasizing empathy and assurance in order to promote tourists’ revisit intention and word-of-mouth recommendation.