Relationship of the hotel rating system and service quality: A case study of the 'Thailand Hotels Standard'

Abstract

Scope and Method of Study: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of the hotel rating system and service quality. Respondents in the study were 308 hotel managers in Thailand. All hotel managers completed a questionnaire asking for their perceived influences of the Thailand Hotels Standard, a national hotel rating system of Thailand. T-test, analysis of variance, canonical correlation analysis were used to test 5 hypotheses.

Findings and Conclusions: Both hotel applicants and certified hotels of the hotel rating system perceived more favorable about its influences on the hotel industry as well as hotel properties. Factor analysis of service quality improvement as a result of participation in the Thailand Hotels Standard extracted 4 dimensions including service delivery, hotel employees, guest facilities and surroundings, and prestige. The four dimensions of service quality improvement were not significantly associated with either star level or chain affiliation. Canonical correlation analysis found significant relationship between the four dimensions of service quality improvement and three hotel performance changes.