Service Quality Management Innovations in the Hajj Industry: An Empirical Investigation of Food and Accommodation Services for Thai Pilgrims
Keywords:
Hajj, Service Quality, Food and Accommodation Services, Pilgrim Satisfaction, Thai PilgrimAbstract
This study aims to examine the consumption experiences and satisfaction levels of Thai pilgrims regarding the quality of food and accommodation services in Makkah and Madinah, within the framework of cultural studies and Hajj service industry management. A quantitative research design was employed, with data collected from a sample of 400 Thai pilgrims during the 2023 Hajj season.
The findings reveal that pilgrims reported a high overall level of satisfaction with both food and accommodation services. In Makkah, the mean satisfaction scores were 3.16 for food services and 3.04 for accommodation services, with cleanliness and the overall environment identified as key strengths. However, notable limitations included the quality of desserts, elevator systems, and room balcony facilities. In Madinah, the overall satisfaction level was recorded at 3.09, with accommodation location emerging as a major strength, while food taste remained a primary area of concern. This study proposes innovative approaches to menu development and facility management aimed at enhancing service quality standards and strengthening the competitiveness of Thai Hajj service providers within the context of international service management.
References
กรมการศาสนา. (2566). รายงานสถิติผู้แสวงบุญฮัจย์ชาวไทย ประจำปี พ.ศ. 2566. กระทรวงวัฒนธรรม.
พระราชบัญญัติส่งเสริมกิจการฮัจย์ พ.ศ. 2524. (2524, 25 พฤศจิกายน). ราชกิจจานุเบกษา. เล่ม 98 ตอนที่ 194. ฉบับพิเศษ หน้า 1.
Alghamdi, H. (2024a). Enhancing culinary experiences for religious tourists in Madinah. Saudi Journal of Tourism Studies, 5(2), 88–102.
Alghamdi, H. (2024b). Pilgrim accommodation satisfaction and facility management in Madinah. Saudi Journal of Tourism Research, 12(1), 55–68.
Alharbi, S. (2021). Food hygiene and pilgrim satisfaction in Makkah. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 48, 134–145.
Alotaibi, M. (2021). Factors influencing pilgrims’ satisfaction with accommodation services in Makkah. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 94, Article 102839.
Alqahtani, M. (2023). Pilgrims’ perceptions of food quality and variety during Hajj. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 35(8), 2845–2862.
Hassan, S. (2023). Accessibility and satisfaction with hotel facilities among elderly pilgrims. Journal of Tourism and Religious Studies, 8(2), 112–124.
Johnson, M. (2020). Gender and age influences on pilgrimage satisfaction in Western countries. Western Journal of Social Research, 22(3), 45–59.
Khan, A., & Ahmed, R. (2022). Food service quality and satisfaction among pilgrims in Madinah. Middle Eastern Journal of Tourism Research, 10(4), 115–129.
Kumar, R. (2021). Economic capacity and satisfaction levels of religious travelers in India. International Journal of Tourism Research, 23(5), 782–795.
Lembaga Tabung Haji. (2023). Annual report 2023: Managing Hajj for the Ummah. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396.
Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64(1), 12–40.
Rahman, A., Alzahrani, M., & Farooq, U. (2022). The role of signage and location in enhancing hotel guest satisfaction in Madinah. Middle East Hospitality Review, 14(3), 201–215.
Smith, J. (2023). Consumer satisfaction and spending behavior among first-time religious pilgrims. Journal of Religious Tourism, 11(2), 33–47.
Vroom, V. H. (1964). Work and motivation. Wiley.
Wang, L., & Chen, Y. (2022). Demographic factors influencing pilgrimage experiences in Asia. Asian Journal of Social Sciences, 50(1), 22–31.
Yamane, T. (1967). Statistics: An introductory analysis (2nd ed.). Harper and Row.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Internatinal Islamic College Bangkok, Krirk University
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
วารสารที่ได้รับการตีพิมพ์เป็นลิขสิทธ์ของวิทยาลัยนานาชาติอิสลามกรุงเทพ มหาวิทยาลัยเกริก
ข้อความที่ปรากฎในบทความแต่ละเรื่องในวารสารวิชาการเล่มนี้เป็นความคิดเห็นส่วนตัวของผู้เขียนแต่ละท่านไม่เกี่ยวข้องกับวิทยาลัยนานาชาติอิสลามกรุงเทพ และคณาจารย์ท่านอื่น แต่อย่างใด ความรับผิดชอบองค์ประกอบทั้งหมดของบทความแต่ละเรื่องเป็นของผู้เขียน
