Service Quality Measurement in Croatian Wellness Tourism: An Application of the SERVQUAL Scale

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the conceptual and empirical knowledge of service quality in wellness settings. The aim is to provide a theoretical background of the main concepts of interest and to empirically assess customer expectations and perceptions, as well as to determine the overall quality of wellness services. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, based on the dimensions of the SERVQUAL scale (Parasuraman, Zeithaml & Berry, 1988). The questionnaire was divided into three parts. First, the respondents’ expectations regarding service quality in wellness settings in general were measured. The second part examined the respondents’ perceptions of service quality in wellness centers in Croatian hotels. The third part of the questionnaire consisted of demographic questions. Factor analysis and reliability analysis were conducted to identify key factors of wellness service quality and to test the reliability and consistency of the measurement scale. The results revealed high customer expectations and perceptions of wellness service quality. Moreover, three factors were identified that best explained expected wellness service quality and all were highly reliable. On the other hand, two highly reliable factors were identified regarding the perceived quality of wellness services.