THE ROLE OF TOUR GUIDES’ PROFESSIONAL SERVICE QUALITY IN SHAPING THE IMAGE OF TOUR OPERATORS

Abstract

The article examines the influence of professional service quality of tour guides on the image of tour operators based on a questionnaire survey and statistical analysis. The quality of a tourism product depends not only on the route content, price and infrastructure, but also on the professional level of specialists who directly interact with tourists. In this context, the tour guide is considered a key actor who transforms the tour operator’s service into a real tourist experience. The purpose of the study is to identify the relationship between tour guide service quality and the image of tour operators. The research methodology includes a questionnaire survey, descriptive statistics, percentage analysis, calculation of mean values and correlation analysis. The empirical basis consists of model survey results for 120 respondents. The questionnaire assessed the guide’s professional knowledge, communication culture, ability to present historical and cultural information, organizational skills, tourist satisfaction and tour operator image. The results revealed a strong positive relationship between overall tour guide service quality and tour operator image. The correlation coefficient was r=0.76. This confirms that tour guide service quality affects tourists’ trust in the tour operator, intention to reuse the service and willingness to recommend the company to others.