An exploratory study of ecotourism services quality (ESQ) in Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP), Ethiopia: using an ECOSERV model

ABSTRACT

Apart from advocating conservation and revenue generation, nurturing visitors’ experience and satisfaction in protected areas (PAs) is crucial for competitive advantage. Currently, the importance of ecotourism services quality (ESQ) is gaining tremendous attention due to the growing demand for ecotourism worldwide and ever-increasing expectations from visitors. Indisputably, service quality has become an instrument for policy framework and a show map for an organization's success. Thus, this study measured the ESQ and visitor satisfaction in Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP), Ethiopia. Based on a survey of 293 international visitors, a revised ECOSERV model was proposed with 7 ESQ dimensions and 28 attributes which particularly apply in an ecotourism context. The SERVICE GAP Analysis also revealed the negative disconfirmation and, therefore, the existing ESQ is not meeting the growing visitor expectations in BMNP. Thus, park management should address the off-putting service gaps to enhance visitors’ overall satisfaction, eco-experience and increase ecotourism competitiveness.

KEYWORDS:

• ESQ
• ECOSERV model
• GAP ANALYSIS
• disconfirmation-based paradigm
• expectation
• perception

Acknowledgements

It is our foremost appreciation for Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA) and in particular the Management department of BMNP for permission for us to conduct this study in BMNP.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Sintayehu Aynalem Aseres is an Assistant Professor of Tourism Management at Madda Walabu University, Ethiopia. At the time of this research, he is a Ph.D. Scholar in Contemporary issues in Tourism Marketing and Management at School of Management Studies, Punjabi University, Patiala, India.

Dr. Raminder Kaur Sira is an Assistant Professor in School of Management Studies at Punjabi University, Patiala, India.

Notes

1. An outstanding example of natural heritage representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals; or

2. Contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance; or

3. Contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation (GMP 2017, 8)

2 The average exchange rate was 1 US $ for 28 Ethiopian Birr in 2018 (National Bank of Ethiopia 2018).