ANALYSIS OF THE QUALITY OF A TOURISM TRANSPORT SERVICE: EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE ‘LINHA TURISMO’ BUS SERVICE IN PORTO ALEGRE

Abstract

The attractiveness of a tourist destination depends on the quality of the services offered, and local infrastructure. Thus, in order to increase the tourism demand of a city, the availability of appropriate transport services, leisure activities, and adequate information is essential. This paper presents an evaluation of the city-tour bus service “Linha Turismo” in the city of Porto Alegre. With the aim of improving the quality of the Linha Turismo service, and thereby increasing the level of satisfaction of its clientele, this paper uses a quality management methodology to measure client satisfaction. Based on the data collected, some gaps were identified, between clients’ expectations and their perceptions of the service. Thus, it is possible to select items for a more critical assessment which, if improved, could help improve the quality of the service. This paper also presents a set of performance indicators that can be used to monitor the quality of the Linha Turismo service. Meanwhile, to find out passengers’ views on more general dimensions of assessment, rather than focusing on specific items, it uses the technique of factor analysis. This technique enables the performance indicators to be allocated under perspectives, enabling them to be more closely monitored. Key-words: Quality. Tourism transport. Linha Turismo.