TOURQUAL-BAR: Validation of a service quality measurement scale in tourist bars

Abstract

Bars have played an important role in the tourism context of different destinations. English pubs, American sports bars, beach bars in the Caribbean and traditional botequins/bars in Rio de Janeiro have become true tourist attractions. For service consumers, especially in the tourism sector, the quality of the experience is an increasingly relevant element that directly impacts their satisfaction. The aim of this article is to validate the adaptation of the TOURQUAL model in the context of bars, creating a methodological and market tool for quality management in this service segment. The research is characterized as exploratory and applied, quantitative in nature, with the application of an online questionnaire aimed at consumers in 29 traditional bars in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The sample obtained consisted of 239 valid responses. Data were tabulated and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, reliability with Cronbach's alpha and correlations). The results allow us to validate the measurement scale to measure the consumption experience through the quality of service composed of three dimensions adapted from the TOURQUAL protocol, which are: tangible quality, intangible quality, and commercial quality. The study provides theoretical advances and contributions to improve the management of gastronomic establishments and to the planning of tourism in cities and possibilities for replicating the scale in other contexts.

Keywords
Service quality; Measurement scale; Food; Tourist bar; Rio de Janeiro; Tourist business