Kerela Tourism

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[Type the document title]

TO IDENTIFY FACTORS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IN KERALA TOURISM Page 1

TO IDENTIFY FACTORS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IN KERALA TOURISM

A Dissertation

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

By

A S ARJUNSHA

120360500001

Batch of 2012-14

Doon Business School

122Mi, Behind Pharma City, Selaqui, Dehradun-248001, Uttarakhand

May 2014


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CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the dissertation submitted by Mr. A S ARJUNSHA on the title

To identify factors that are important for customer satisfaction in Kerala tourism is a

record ofresearch work done by him during the academic year 201214 under my guidance

andsupervision in partial fulfillment of Master of Business Administration. This dissertation

hasnot been submitted for the award of any degree, diploma, associateship or fellowship or

anyother title in this University or any other university.

Place: Selaqui

Date: (Name & Signature of the Guide)


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DECLARATION

I, A.S.ARJUNSHA, do hereby declare that the dissertation entitled To identify factors that

are important for customer satisfaction in Kerala tourism has been undertaken by me for

theaward of the degree of Master of Business Administration. I have completed this study

underthe guidance of Dr. Suneet Saxena, Director(DBS Global), Doon Business School,

Dehradun.

I also declare that this dissertation has not been submitted for the award of any degree,

diploma, associateship or fellowship or any other title in this University or any other

university.

Place: Selaqui Name : A S ARJUNSHA

Date: Roll No : 120360500001


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am deeply indebted to all those who have helped me in accomplishing this dissertation

successfully.

First, I thank Dr. A K DUBEY, Director, Doon Business School, Selaqui

I thank Dr. Suneet Saxena, Director(DBS Global), Doon Business School, Selaqui, for his

support and guidance during the course of my research. I remember him with much gratitude

for his patience and motivation, but for which I could not have submitted this work.

Finally, I would like to thank my parents and relatives, who have supported me always and

without whose blessings; I would not have been able to complete this dissertation.

Student Name: A S ARJUNSHA Signature:

Date :


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Keralas importance as a tourist destination started booming after 1980s. Kerala

was an unknown tourist destination till then. The role of Kerala Tourism

Development Corporation has brought Kerala and its unique tourist potential to

the lime light. KTDC is a government agency that oversees tourism prospects of

the state. This dissertation tries to learn and research on the factors that have significant

impact on customer satisfaction with respect to service quality. These factors have

to be identified and improved. Even when there is a boom in the sector the growth

estimated is never at par with the estimated potential. Understanding customer

satisfaction is thus an important tool for enhancing the tourists inflow to the state.

This research explains that there is a relation between the information provided to

the tourists and their perception about Kerala as a tourist destination. The

proposed research methodology undertaken also establishes that there is no

relation between the kindness of local people and tour operators in Kerala and the

perception which tourists have about Kerala.

The research comes out with multiple revelations. The research reveals that Kerala

is chosen as a tourist destination primarily because of the greenery and climate.

Food is another reason for choosing Kerala as a tourist destination. The need and

demand for local cuisine indirectly generates demand for the homestays. Majority

of the tourists wish to stay in a resort as they feel it would provide better ambience

for the tourists who prefer greenery and hospitality.


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Apart from the above findings paper concludes with various suggestions. Tourist

information provided to the travelers is of great importance. It directly influences

the perception of tourists about Kerala as a tourist destination. Information

provided thus should be with great care and caution. Authorities should continue

their efforts of branding Kerala. This study identifies factors which influence tourists to visit

Kerala. It also identifies critical factors which influence tourists to visit Kerala.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page 1

Certificate 2

Declaration 3

Acknowledgement 4

Executive Summary 5

CHAPTER I

INDUSTRY PROFILE 12

1.1 OVERVIEW OF INDIAN TOURISM 13

1.2 OVERVIEW OF KERALA TOURISM 14

1.3 FACTS ON TOURIST INFLOW 15

CHAPTER II

INTRODUCTION 19

2.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 20

2.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 20

2.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 21

2.4 NATURE OF THE STUDY 21

2.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 22

2.6 TIME FRAME IN WHICH MAXIMUM TOURISTS COME 22

2.7 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 22

2.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 23

CHAPTER III

REVIEW OF LITERATURE 24

3.1 INTRODUCTION 25

3.2 HOW REVIEW HAS BEEN CONDUCTED 25


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3.3 STUDIES CONDUCTED 25

3.4 CONCLUSION 32

CHAPTER IV

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 33

3.1 INTRODUCTION 34

3.2 RESEARCH INSTRUMENT 34

3.3 VARIABLES USED IN THE STUDY 35

3.4 POPULATION 35

3.5 SAMPLE METHOD USED 35

3.6 SAMPLE SIZE 35

3.7 STATISTICAL TOOLS USED IN THE STUDY 35

3.8 CONCLUSION 36

CHAPTER V

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 37

5.1 INTRODUCTION 38

5.2 RESPONDENT PROFILE 39

5.3 CROSS TABULATION 60

CHAPTER VI

FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 69

6.1 FINDINGS 70

6.2 CONCLUSION 74

6.3 RECOMMANDATIONS 75

BIBLIOGRAPHY 76

ANNEXURE 79


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LIST OF TABLES

S.no Title Page No

Table 4.1 Trends in domestic & foreign tourist arrivals into Kerala (2002 to 2011) 16

Table 4.2 Month wise Foreign and domestic Tourist arrivals during the year 2011 16

Table 5.1 Age group of the respondents 39

Table 5.2 Gender of the respondents 40

Table 5.3 Marital status of the respondents 41

Table 5.4 Income of the respondents 42

Table 5.5 Occupation of the respondents 43

Table 5.6 Purpose of visit of the respondents 44

Table 5.7 Respondents accompanied with 45

Table 5.8 Duration of the visit 46

Table 5.9 Perception about Kerala 47

Table 5.10 Preferred place of stay for the respondents 48

Table 5.11 Perception about safety as a tourist 49

Table 5.12 Amount spent by respondents 50

Table 5.13 Mode of transport 51

Table 5.14 Visit Kerala again 52

Table 5.15 Most preferred location for respondents 53

Table 5.16 Most preferred location for pilgrimage 54

Table 5.17 Duration of visit during pilgrimage 55

Table 5.18 Preferred place of stay during pilgrimage 56

Table 5.19 Mode of transport 57

Table 5.20 Amount spent on pilgrimage 58

Table 5.2.1 Revisit Kerala for pilgrimage 59


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Table 5.2.2 Perception about safety for male respondents 60

Table 5.2.3 Female perception on safety factor in Kerala 61

Table 5.2.4 Foreigners perception on safety factor in Kerala 62

Table 5.2.5 Most preferred place of stay for foreigners 63

Table 5.2.6 Preferred place of stay for male respondents 64

Table 5.2.7 Preferred place of stay for female respondents 65

Table 5.2.8 Perception of the Male respondents 66

Table 5.2.9 Perception of the female respondents 67

Table 5.3.0 Foreigners revisit to Kerala 68

LIST OF CHARTS

S.No Title Page No

5.1 Age group of the respondents 39

5.2 Gender of the respondents 40

5.3 Marital status of the respondents 41

5.4 Income of the respondents 42

5.5 Occupation of the respondents 43

5.6 Purpose of visit of the respondents 44

5.7 Respondents accompanied with 45

5.8 Duration of the visit 46

5.9 Perception about Kerala 47

5.10 Preferred place of stay for the respondents 48

5.11 Perception about safety as a tourist 49

5.12 Amount spent by the respondents 50


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5.13 Mode of transport 51

5.14 Visit Kerala again 52

5.15 Occupation of the respondents 53

5.16 Most preferred location for pilgrimage 54

5.17 Duration of the visit 55

5.18 Preferred place of stay for pilgrimage 56

5.19 Mode of transport 57

5.20 Amount spent on pilgrimage 58

5.2.1 Revisit Kerala for pilgrimage 59

5.2.2 Perception about safety for male respondents 60

5.2.3 Female perception on safety factor in Kerala 61

5.2.4 Foreigners perception on safety in Kerala 62

5.2.5 Most preferred place of stay for foreigners 63

5.2.6 Preferred place of stay for male respondents 64

5.2.7 Preferred place of stay for female respondents 65

5.2.8 Perception of the Male respondents 66

5.2.9 Perception of the female respondents 67

5.3.0 Foreigners revisit to Kerala 68


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CHAPTER I

Industry Profile


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1.1 OVERVIEW OF INDIAN TOURISM

Tourism is the largest service industry in India. The contribution of tourism to the

national GDP is 6.23% .It contributes around 8.78% of the total employment in

India. In 2010, total Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTA) in India were 5.78 million and

India generated about 200 billion US dollars in 2008. This statistics is expected to

increase. The majority of foreign tourists come from USA and UK.

Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are the top five states to

receive inbound tourists. Domestic tourism is also in the rise. Most of the

domestic tourists come from. Andhra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and

Maharashtra. The Ministry of tourism consults and collaborates with other

stakeholders in the sector including various Central Ministries/agencies, the state

governments and union territories and the representatives of the private sector.

New tourism such as cruise, rural, eco-tourism and medical are being promoted by

concentrated efforts. The Ministry of Tourism is also behind the Incredible

India campaign.

In 2011, total Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTA) in India was 6.18 million and

Foreign Exchange Earnings stood at US$ 16.691 billion (Global rank-17). India's

Foreign Exchange earnings grew by an astonishing 14.1% (CAGR) during 2001-

10 out-pacing global average 7.7%. Owing to steady decade-long growth India's

share in world foreign exchange earnings has gone up from 0.64% in 2002 to

about 1.72% in 2011.

From 2009 to 2018 India would be a tourism hot spot according to World Travel

and Tourism council. The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2007 ranked

tourism in India sixth in terms of price competitiveness and 39th in terms of safety

and security. Despite short and medium-term setbacks, such as shortage of hotel


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rooms. Tourism revenues are expected to surge by 42% from 2007 to 2017.

International tourism appeal of India is on the rise because of India's rich history

and its cultural and geographical diversity. India has one of the largest and fastest

growing medical tourism sectors.

Indian tourism sector is a significant contributor to GDP.Thus it is the most

crucial sector of the economy. Apart from being a GDP contributor it also earns

foreign_exchange_reserve_of_the_country._It_provides_widespread_emlploymen

t.Tourism sector can also be considered the backbone for allied sectors like

hospitality, civil aviation and transport. Indian government has invested

abundantly in the past for infrastructure development in order to aid tourism. It

has been partially successful with increase in foreign tourist arrivals over the last

decade.

India is called a tourist's paradise because of its natural beauty along with its

glorious historious places. Monuments are another reason. The Taj Mahal, Ellora

caves, ancient architectural beauty of Ajanta and the temples of Tamilnadu, all are

attractions for the tourists, around the world.

1.2 OVERVIEW OF KERALA TOURISM

Kerala is a state on the tropical Malabar Coast of southwestern India. Amongst the

most popular tourist destinations in India Kerala ranks first. National Geographic

traveler has named Kerala as one of the ten paradises of the world. The ecotourism

initiatives have made Kerala famous. Keralas unique culture, traditions

and varied demography has made Kerala the most popular destination in the

world. Kerala is known for its tropical backwaters and pristine beaches such

as Kovalam.


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Popular attractions in the state include the beaches at Kovalam, Kappad,

Muzhuppilangad, Cherai, Varkala, the hill stations of Munnar, Thekkady,

Nelliampathi,_Ponmudi_and_Wayanad;_forts_like_the Bekal_fort in Kanhangada

and St. Angelo's Fort in Kannur and the National Parks/ Wildlife sanctuaries at

Periyar and Eravikulam.Cities such as kollam, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Trivandrum

are popular centers for shopping and traditional theatrical performances.

Ecologically sustained tourism is promoted by the states tourism. It focuses on

the local culture, wilderness adventures etc. Efforts are taken to minimize the

adverse effects of traditional tourism on the natural environment, and enhance the

cultural integrity of local people.

1.3 FACTS ON TOURIST INFLOW

i. Tourist inflow to Kerala has crossed the 10-million in 2011, as against 9.2million in 2010.

ii. The number of foreign tourists increased to 732,980 in 2011, as against659,265 in the previous year.

iii. The total revenue from the tourism sector increased to Rs 19,037 crore in2011, as against Rs 17,348 crore in 2010. Foreign exchange revenue also

increased to Rs 4,222 crore, as against Rs 3797 crore, he said.

iv. The revenue has a five-fold jump during the last ten years. Tourismcontributes the most to the service sector and it constitutes 66.28 per cent of

the states GDP.


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Table 4.1: Trends in domestic & foreign tourist arrivals into Kerala(2002 to 2011)

Source: Kerala Tourism Statistics 2011

Table 4.2 Month wise Foreign and Domestic Tourist arrivals during the year

2011 is as shown below:

Source: Kerala Tourism Statistics 2011


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SPECIALITIES ABOUT KERALA

1) Food: Kerala cuisine has its roots in the history. Culture and geography of the

land. The cuisine of Kerala can be classified under the two headingsvegetarian

and non-vegetarian. While the non-vegetarian dishes are all heavily spiced, the

vegetarian repertoire is mildly spiced and feels especially easier on the non-native

tongue

2) Boat: The houseboats in Kerala have all the creature comforts of a good hotel

including furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen and

even a balcony for angling. Parts of the curved roof of wood or plaited palm open

out to provide shade and allow uninterrupted views. While most boats are poled

by local oarsmen, some are powered by a 40 HP engine. Boat-trains - formed by

joining two or more houseboats together are also used by large groups of

sightseers. The uniqueness and specialty of a houseboat ride is the breathtaking view of the

untouched and otherwise inaccessible rural Kerala.

3) Ayurveda: Kerala possesses an unbroken tradition of Ayurveda that has

surpassed the many invasions and intrusions both foreign and native. For hundreds

of years the Ayurveda Vaidyas (practitioners of Ayurveda) were almost the only

access for people seeking healing from every kind of disease in Kerala. The

legendary eight families of Vaidyas (Ashta vaidyas) and their successors treated

the entire state for centuries. Unlike the other Indian states the status of Ayurveda

in Kerala is not alternative but mainstream. In fact, today, Kerala is the only State

in India which practices this system of medicine with absolute dedication.

4) Weather: Compared to other Indian states, Kerala lies closer to the equator. Yet

Kerala is bestowed with a pleasant and equable climate throughout the year. This

is because of the land's nearness to the sea and the presence of the fort like


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Western Ghats on the east. Kerala would have been a dry land because of the dry

winds blowing from the north, but for the Western Ghats which prevent this wind

from entering the land. Kerala receives copious rain (average 3000 mm a year)

each year. The temperature in Kerala normally ranges from 28 to 32 C (82 to

90 F) on the plains but drops to about 20 C (68 F) in the highlands. The

Highlands of Kerala, which is an area of major tourist attraction, enjoys a cool and

invigorating climate the year-round. Owing to its diversity in geographical

features, the climatic condition in Kerala is diverse. It can be divided into 4

seasonsWinter , Summer, South-West Monsoon and North-East Monsoon.


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CHAPTER II

Introduction


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2.1 BACK GROUND OF THE STUDY

Kerala is a state on the tropical Malabar Coast of southwestern India. Amongst the

most popular tourist destinations in India, Kerala ranks first. National Geographic

traveller has named Kerala as one of the ten paradises of the world. The ecotourism

initiatives have made Kerala famous. Keralas unique culture, traditions and varied

demography has made Kerala the most popular destination in the world. The tourism industry

is the major contributor to the sates economy and is growing at a rate of 13.31%. Keralas

importance as a tourist destination started booming after 1980s. Kerala was an unknown

destination till then. The role of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation has brought

Kerala and its unique tourist potential to the lime light. KTDC is a government agency that

oversees tourism prospects of the state. Aggressive marketing campaigns were launched to

make Kerala well known throughout the world. In a decade Kerala tourism transformed itself

into a niche holiday destination in India. Kerala is now a global super brand. The tag line

Kerala-gods own countrymakes it the highest recalled brand.0.66 million foreign tourist

travelers came to Kerala.

2.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Tourist inflow to the Gods own country, Kerala, hascrossed the 10-million

market in 2011.Every year revenue received in tourism sector is increasing. There

has been a five-fold jump in the revenue during the last 10 years as in 2001 the

total revenue was Rs 4,500 crore. Even when its a boom happening in the sector

the growth estimated is never at par with the estimated potential. Understanding

customer satisfaction is an important tool for enhancing the tourists inflow to the

state. The factors that have significant impact on customer satisfaction with

respect to service quality has to be identified and improved.


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2.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

i. To identify factors which influence tourists to visit Kerala.ii. To identify factors critical to customer satisfaction with respect to service quality.

2.4 NATURE OF THE STUDY

The main attractions of Kerala as a tourist destination are many. Beaches of

Kovalam,Cherai,Varkala attracts a lot of tourists to Kerala. Back waters and lake

resorts have always been a unique proposition of Kerala to serve its tourists with

a vibrant and rich tour experience. The major places in Kerala that has back

waters and lake resorts are Vembanad lake,Kumarakom and Alappuzha. Hill

sations are another set of attraction for tourists around the world to visit

Kerala.Major hill stations include Munnar,Wayanad,Nelliampathi,Vagamon and

ponmudi.National parks and wildlife sanctuaries had always been a pull factor to

attract tourists to Kerala. The main sites include Periyar and Eravikulam National

Park. Culture and heritage always is a strong reason to increase the foot falls to

Kerala. The major heritage sites include Padmanabhapuram palace,Hill palace and

Mattancherry Palace.Apart from all these the major reasons of choosing Kerala as

a tourist destination are Eco tourism,Hydel tourism,pilgrimage tourism,Diamond

tourism and Monsoon tourism. Monsoon tourism is quite famous in places like

Alappuzha, Kochi, Kumarkom, Thekkady, Munnar, Guruvayoor and

Vythiri.Medical tourism is also a great revenue generator for Kerala these days.


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2.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This paper leaves with a scope for future research. The current research identifies

the critical factors to customer satisfaction with respect to service quality. More

studies and researches can be conducted to see what are the major pull factors for

tourists to come to a destination especially like Kerala. Researches can also be

carried out to understand the factors that would increase the time period spent by

tourists in Kerala.

2.6 TIME FRAME IN WHICH MAXIMUM TOURISTS COME

In Kerala the season never comes to an end. Months from September to April

attract most of the tourists to India. However in Kerala they are welcomed during

the monsoon months as well. It is mainly because of the popular Ayurveda health

holidays and also the beautiful sight of the nature. The best time to visit Kerala is the months

between December to February. These months reflects the winter season in Kerala.

This period is considered as the best time in Kerala tourism as the tourism

industry would be on full flow. There are no rains that prevent the tourist from

visiting Kerala during these periods. This is the main reason behind the steady rise

in the number of tourists coming to Kerala.

2.7 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This dissertation tries to learn and research on the factors that have significant

impact on customer satisfaction with respect to service quality. These factors have

to be identified and improved. Understanding customer satisfaction and what tourists look for

is thus an important aspect for enhancing the tourists inflow to the state.


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2.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The total sample size of the study is limited. In order to get a clearer picture the

sample size should have been more and it should have included more of pilgrims

and foreigners instead of domestic travelers. The time period in which the study conducted

was just 4 months. Extending the time period would have given more inputs to the study.


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CHAPTER III

Literature Review


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3.1 INTRODUCTION

Review of literature is an important link between the research proposed and the

studies already done. It tells us about aspects that have already been established or

concluded by other authors, and gives a chance to appreciate the evidence that has

been collected by previous research, and thus project the current research work in

the proper perspective. Various studies have been done across the globe on tourism industry,

its impact on the host countrys economy, the critical factors that lead to the success of

tourism, customer satisfaction related to services provided in the tourist destinations etc.

Some of the main researches are exhibited here.

3.2 HOW REVIEW HAS BEEN CONDUCTED

The major research websites visited in order to extract the above mentioned

researches were sites like Google scholar and Ebsco. Articles whose titles are

related to tourism where specially noted down and understood in terms of its

importance and relevance.

3.3 STUDIES CONDUCTED

Jithendran (2002), in the paper titled Human resources development for

tourism in rural communities: A case study of Kerala. Human resource

development has a major role in rural tourism development .This has special

significance considering the relative backwardness of rural areas. The tourism

HRD in rural communities has a number of drawbacks. Since there are no private

players in this aspect it is the major duty of public sector especially during the first

few years. Kerala provides an excellent example of how public sector initiated

HRD.


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Rajasenan,Kumar (2004), in the paper titled Demographic, psychographic and

life-style characteristics of foreign tourists: an exploratory study of Kerala,

India. This study analyses the demographic, psychographic and the lifestyle

characteristics of foreign tourists visiting Kerala, India, with the help of a primary

survey. The survey, conducted from October 2001 to March 2002, covered 300

foreign tourists. The study shows that two different classes of tourists visit Kerala.

Tourists in the first group are primarily motivated by factors such as heritage and

culture, monuments, etc. and are poor spenders. Those in the second group comes

for fun and to use the beaches and are the ones who spend more. The study also

reveals that spending patterns of foreign tourists are influenced by the lifestyle

characteristics such as duration of stay, budget, travel pattern, and accommodation

preferred.

Bindu, Chandrashekaran and prakash (2008), in the paper titled Scales to

measure and benchmark service quality in tourism industry: A second-order

factor approach. The study has found out hospitality, food, logistics, security,

and value for money have significant impact on satisfaction of tourists while

amenities, core-tourism experience, hygiene, fairness of price, information

centers, culture, distractions, personal information, and pubs do not have a

significant impact.

Kannan srinivasan (2009), in the paper titled Tourism Marketing: A Service

Marketing perspective. Kerala is an important destination in India that attracts

international tourists. This service sector earns a substantial amount of foreign

exchange to developing countries like India. Modern technology has to be used to

the fullest extent to make the most advantage out of tourism. This paper attempts


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to market tourism by adapting the service marketing approach for achieving great

success.

Santhakumar (2009), in the paper titled Entry fees as an instrument for

environmental management: study of a wildlife park in Kerala, India. An

economic objective is required for managing tourism. This paper presents a

theoretical analysis of the appropriate economic objective for managing tourism in

a wildlife park in a developing country, so as to conserve the environmental

resource and maximize revenue generation on a sustainable basis. This study

assesses the potential revenue from tourism and the current position in this regard

and uses this information in judging the desirability of increasing fees.

Bindu,Chandrashekaran,prakash and Ram (2009) in the paper titled

Dimensions of service quality in tourisman Indian perspective. The purpose

of this paper is to identify dimensions of service quality (SQ) and their

corresponding measurement variables in the tourism industry by focusing on

India. Service quality in tourism comprises 10 dimensions, namely information,

core-tourism experience, hospitality, fairness of price, amenities, hygiene value

for money, logistics, food and security.

Babu and Alexandra (2009), in the paper titled Medical tourism: an analysis

with special reference to its current practice in India. This paper tries to

summarise the features of the medical tourism business in India. For the last few

years people are travelling to different countries to obtain medical, dental and

surgical care. Medical tourism has grown by leaps and bounds. By now, medical


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tourism has grown as a formidable multinational industry in its own right. For at

least a decade, people from all around the world have been travelling to other

countries to obtain medical, dental and surgical care. Countries like India are

promoting it and its future is surely bright. India will soon be a medical tourism

hub.

Subhramaniam, suresh and Sindhu (2010), in the paper titled Mass

customising the tourism sector in Kerala. Customisation is an effective

approach in strategic management that can definitely help improve

competitiveness both in products and services. The most inevitable paradigm shift

of the modern era is the transformation from mass production to mass

customisation. Its conceptualisation, implementation approaches and their

applications in the hospitality industry using suitable examples are discussed in

this research. The new business era is highly competitive Modern due to the

global reach made possible through the use of internet. In order to cope up with

this dynamic environment a new business model based on the internet is proposed

for the ecotourism industry of Kerala. This model would promote collaborative

mass customization.

Ram and Bindu (2010), in the paper titled Improving customer experience in

tourism: A framework for stakeholder collaboration. This paper explains a

simple conceptual framework for stakeholder collaboration in tourism. An

empirical case study at Chennai is used to illustrate the process. A tourists overall

experience is influenced by multiple stake holders. They include immigration

officials at airport and even policy makers. Thus effective management of


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customer satisfaction in this service sector requires various cross-functional

collaboration and a transparent measurement scheme. It should clearly explain the

impact of each stakeholder's actions on overall customer experience. A fourphase

customer experience measurement process is developed to prioritize

resource allocation and to increase tourists' advocacy levels for a destination.

Bader,Anne (2010), in the paper titled Tourism Business Environment

Analysis Conducted For Kerala/India. The subject of this thesis is to analyse

the tourism business environment of the Indian state Kerala. This is done under

the assumption that tourism is a product of sale. Therefore a descriptive

methodology is used. The theoretical part of the study describes the tourism

concepts. The second part the chosen models are used to conduct an adapted

tourism business environment analysis for Kerala. The used information was

gathered from books, internet sources and tourism magazine articles. The study

also proved that the Department of Tourism is the main driving force for the

development of tourism in Kerala.

Babu,Tony and Alvin (2010), in the paper titled Determinants of satisfaction

and dissatisfaction among preventive and curative medical tourists: a

comparative analysis. This paper focuses on a systematic view of medical

tourism and the following customer satisfaction levels. The growing medical

tourism market needs to have a more sophisticated approach for a better market

analysis. As global marketers seek to capitalise on the growth in medical tourism,

it is instructive to better understand the determinants of satisfied experiences. The

paper posits hypotheses integrating the concepts of customer satisfaction and


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medical tourism.

Rhodri,Gareth,Stephen (2011), in the paper titled Understanding small firms

in tourism: A perspective on research trends and challenges.The paper

challenges the conventional wisdom and provides a means for future research

small firms role in tourism has always been on the agendas of policy-makers for

many years, however academic interest has been fluctuating. Certainly the flurry

of activity that occurred during the early 1990s became a steady flow of somewhat

fragmented output rather than the ambitious and coherent programme of research

that was anticipated at the time. The paper traces progress in this field by

reviewing inter- multi and disciplinary studies that contribute to current

understanding of small firms in tourism and how this understanding articulates

with wider debates within tourism studies.

Ramesh,Kurian (2012),in the paper titled The holistic approach of Ayurveda

based wellness tourism in Kerala.This paper investigates the reasons why

Kerala is a health care destination and why.It also attempts to study the market

potential.Health tourism is emerging as a separate industry with immense

potential.Health tourism refers to trips that are taken with the principal purpose of

improving the health.This makes it necessary for tourism marketers to

differentiate their products.Kerala thus has a huge potential.The concept of

Ayurveda is all set to reap profits.Kerala is world wide recognised for its

ayurvedi products and services. In order to cope with the growing demand for

wellness, resorts, hospitals, medical practitioners and Government have taken

ample measures to promote alternative health care in Kerala. Along with the


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projects already underway, there is a need to draw up plans for promotions in

future.

Anu, suja and Ginu (2012),in the paper titled A study on the role of resorts in

the revitalization of art forms of Kerala.Cultural tourism is a major

motivational factor for tourists to visit destinations. Art forms are one of the major

attractions in cultural tourism. In India, Kerala is a major hub of art forms to

torists.Resorts has a major role in promoting and revitalizing art forms. The paper

also studies the impact of culture of a place in tourism.

Mushtaq (2012), in the paper titled Tourism Service Quality: A Dimensionspecific

Assessment of SERVQUAL.Tourism market is highly competitive.

Countries must maintain every edge to remain competitive. Owing to the

customer-oriented service endeavours, tourism enterprises, either private or

public, need to improve their service offerings so as to retain or improve their

market share.SERVQUAL instrument helps the service providers to identify the

strengths and weakness. Based on data gathered from 320 tourists, the study

brought to light four interpretable service quality dimensions for tourism services:

Assurance, Tangibility, Responsiveness and Reliability.


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3.4 CONCLUSION

Review of literature is an important tool to highlight the differences in opinions,

contradictory findings or evidences, and the different explanations given for their

conclusions. In some cases, an analysis of these factors can help one understand

many facets of a complex issue and at other times such analysis can lead to new

possibilities that can be researched upon in the current project. Most of the above

mentioned research papers tries to understand and examine a particular factor like

entry fees, Concept of mass customisation, medical tourism and its impact on

tourism industry as a whole. While this paper has the main objective of

understanding factors critical to customer satisfaction with respect to service

quality.


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CHAPTER IV

Research

Methodology


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4.1 INTRODUCTION

The paper tries to understand, validate and measure service quality in tourism

industry in Kerala. It also tries to throw light on the critical factors that leads to

customer satisfaction with respect to service quality. It is important to study these

aspects because the tourist inflow even though is increasing is never up to the

estimated potential. Improving on the critical factors would increase the customer

satisfaction and the service quality. Kerala tourism has miles to reach and a huge

potential to extract the maximum from this service Industry.

4.2 RESEARCH INSTRUMENT

4.2i PRIMARY DATA

The methodology used for the purpose of this research is by selecting a sample

population where the sample selected would be anybody who has already visited

Kerala. Survey would be conducted with the help of a structured questionnaire.

4.2ii SECONDARY DATA

i. Magazines like Kerala tourism Magazine, online sites and various publicationsii. Researching through intermediaries

These intermediaries can include travel agencies, coach operators, and tourist

information centers. These intermediaries clearly have face-to-face contact with

the organisation's customers and can feedback to the research on the level of

satisfaction of the tourists.

Attempts will be made, therefore, to systematically use intermediaries to gain

information on customer satisfaction.


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4.3 VARIABLES USED IN THE STUDY

Variables used in the study include climate, local traffic, Parking space, tour

packages, accommodations, availability of tour operators, tour operators

knowledge about the foreign languages, kindness of the tour operators and

kindness of the local people.

4.4 POPULATION

Target group is anybody who has visited Kerala

4.5 SAMPLE METHOD USED

Convenience sampling to be used and the methodology as mentioned above would

be distributing a structured questionnaire to anybody who has visited Kerala at

least once. Foreigners, pilgrims and even domestic tourists to be included in the

sample.

4.6 SAMPLE SIZE

Sample size is taken as 125 respondents

4.7 STATISTICAL TOOLS USED IN THE STUDY

Cross tab analysis is used with variables for the research being nationality, Tour

packages accommodations, availability of tour operators.


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4.8 CONCLUSION

This paper is supposed to bring in and identify factors which influence tourists to

visit Kerala. It would also identify factors critical to customer satisfaction in terms

of service quality. The research will also explain if there is any relation between

the information provided to the tourists and their perception about Kerala as a

tourist destination.


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CHAPTER V

Data analysis

And

Interpretation


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5.1 INTRODUCTION

In the background of the methodology of the study outlined in chapter 4 and the

overview of Indian tourism sector in chapter 1, the paper presents an analysis of

the various critical factors that were collected out of the distribution of a

structured questionnaire. The plan of the chapter consists of an analysis of profile

of respondents of the sample survey data, the analysis on the favorite tourist

destinations, and finally an analysis of primary data in order to find critical factors

that would lead to customer satisfaction with reference to service quality.


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5.2 RESPONDENT PROFILE

Table 5.1: Age group of respondents

Age Group No. of Respondents

Below 20 21

21 to 30 48

31 to 40 22

41 to 60 22

60 and above 12

Source: Primary data

Chart 5.1: Age group of respondents


INTERPRETATION

Majority of the respondents are between the age group of 21 to 30.This age group

is followed by the age group of 31 to 40.Senior citizens constituted only 9% of the

total sample selected.

Age Group

Below 20

21 to 30

31 to 40

41 to 60

60 and above


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Table 5.2: Gender of the respondents

Gender Number

Male 82

Female 43


Chart 5.2: Gender of the respondents


INTERPRETATION

More than half of the respondents of the survey are males. The number of females

were 43 ie 34% of the total sample which is 125

Gender

Male

Female


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Table 5.3: Marital status of the respondents

Marital Status No. of Respondents

Single 60

Married 55

Others 10


Chart 5.3: Marital status of the respondents


INTERPRETATION

Out of the sample selected almost half of the respondents are single. The number of

married are around 55.There is a group called others this group represents the individuals

who are divorced or Stays single for some reason.

Marital Status

Single

Married

Others


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Table 5.4: Income of the respondents

Annual Income No. of Respondents

Less than 5 lakhs 60

5 to 10 lakhs 29

10 to 15 lakhs 24

Above 15 lakhs 7


Chart 5.4: Income of the respondents


INTERPRETATION

60 respondents fall in the category of income group less than 5 lakhs. Thus the majority

of the respondents have income less than 5 lakhs. Income group with 5 to 10 lakhs came

next ie around 24%.

Income of the respondents

Less than 5 lakhs

5 to 10 lakhs

10 to 15 lakhs

above 15 lakhs


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Table 5.5: Occupation of the respondents

Occupation No. of Respondents

Student 41

Employee in Private 40

Own Business 19

Government emp. 14

Retired 11


Chart 5.5: Occupation of the respondents


INTERPRETATION

Out of the 125 samples 40 respondents were employees of private firms. They

constitute 32% of the total sample. Students include 33 % while retired

individuals constitute 9% of the total sample. Majority of the respondents were

students.

Occupation

Student

Employee in privateOwn business

Governmnet emp

Retired


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Table 5.6: Purpose of visit of the respondents

Purpose of Visit No .of Respondents

Leisure 88

Leisure, Health Reasons 15

Business 7

Others 15


Chart 5.6: Purpose of visit of the respondents


INTERPRETATION

Majority of the respondents come to Kerala for leisure. The sample includes 15

individuals who came for both leisure and health reasons. The category others explains

the number of individuals who came for pilgrimage in Kerala. However the individuals

who came to Kerala for business purpose is just 7.

Purpose of visit

Leisure

Leisure, health reasons

Business

Others


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Table 5.7: Respondents accompanied with

Travelling with No. of Respondents

Friends 52

Family 48

Groups 25


Chart 5.7: Respondents accompanied with


INTERPRETATION

Majority of the individuals have come along with their friends. There are 48 individuals

who came with their family members. Respondents have also come in groups with the

help of various tour operators.

Travelling with

Friends

Family

Groups


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Table 5.8: Duration of the visit

Duration of the Visit No. of Respondents

Less than a week 56

1 to 2 weeks 33

2 to 4 weeks 31

More than a month 5


Chart 5.8: Duration of the visit


INTERPRETATION

56 of the respondents duration of visit is less than a week. In the sample taken only 5

tourists has duration of more than a month.25% of them stay for 2 to 4 weeks. Majority of

them spend less than a week for their visit.

Duration of the visit

Less than a week

1 to 2 weeks

2 to 4 weeks

more than a month


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Table 5.9: Perception about Kerala

Perception about Kerala No. of Respondents

Good 85

Average 18

Excellent 22


Chart 5.9: Perception about Kerala


INTERPRETATION

68% of the tourists perceive Kerala to be a good tourist destination.18% sees it as

excellent. Tourists who found Kerala as just an average tourist destination is 14%.There

are no respondents who find Kerala as a bad or poor tourist destination.

Perception about Kerala as a touristdestination

Good

Average

Excellent

Bad

Poor


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Table 5.10: Preferred place of stay for the respondents

Preferred place to stay No. of Respondents

Home stay 22

Resort 47

Hotel 38

Relative 17

Others 1


Chart 5.10 Preferred place of stay for the respondents


INTERPRETATION

Resort is the most preferred place for stay. Most of them prefer resorts because of the

good ambience and the hospitality. Resorts are followed by Hotels. Tourists prefer

staying in hotels because they get timely food and service. Certain tourists especially

foreigners prefer home stay to get a feel of the local cuisine and culture.

Preferred place to stay

Home stay

Resort

Hotel

Relative

Others


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Table 5.11: Perception about safety as a tourist

Safety in Kerala No. of Respondents

Excellent 45

Good 57

Average 17

Bad 6


Chart 5.11: Perception about safety as a tourist


INTERPRETATION

Majority of the respondents find safety in Kerala as good while 36% finds it excellent.

About 5 % thinks safety in Kerala is bad. However there are no tourists who think safety

in Kerala is poor.

Safety in Kerala

Excellent

Good

Average

Bad

Poor


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Table 5.12: Amount spent by respondents

Amount spent No. of Respondents

Below 1000 36

1000 to 3000 46

3000 to 6000 33

Above 6000 10


Chart 5.12: Amount spent by respondents


INTERPRETATION

46 out of 125 respondents spent 1000 to 3000 in a day. Most of the domestic tourists

spent less than 1000.When compared to domestic tourists foreigners spent more and

majority of them fall in the category of spending 3000 to 6000.

Amount spent

Below 1000

1000 to 3000

3000 to 6000

above 6000


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Table 5.13: Mode of transport

Mode of Transport No. of Respondents

Car 52

Train 12

Bike 19

Flight 42


Chart 5.13: Mode of transport


INTERPRETATION

Major mode of transport to Kerala is car. This shows the sample selected has more of

domestic tourists than the foreigners. Flight as a mode of transport is selected by 34% of

the respondents. Respondents falling in the category of 20 to 30 age group prefers bikes

as mode of transport to various tourists spots in Kerala.

Mode of transport

Car

Train

Bike

Flight


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Table 5.14: Visit Kerala again

Visit Kerala again No. of Respondents

Yes 89

No 5

Maybe 31


Chart 5.14: Visit Kerala again


Interpretation

89 of the respondents will visit Kerala again. However there are 31 who are not sure

about their revisit to Kerala.5 of them have told they wont return back to Kerala.

Visit Kerala again

Yes

No

May be


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Table 5.15: Most preferred location for the respondents

Most preferred location No. of Respondents

Munnar 74

Alleppy 5

Thekkady 6

Eenakulam 4

Kovalam 3

Kuttikanam 5

Wayanad 13


Chart 5.15: Most preferred location for the respondents


INTERPRETATION

Most_preferred_location_for_the_tourists_in_Kerala_is_Munnar_followed_by

Wayanad. Equal number of respondents prefer kuttikanam and thekkady the most ie 5 %

of_the_total_respondents._Other_major_preferred_locations_include_Ernakulam,kovala

m,Alappuzha.

Most preferred location

Munnar

Allepy

Thekkady

Ernakulam

Kovalam

Kuttikanam

Wayanad


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Table 5.16: Most preferred location for pilgrimage

Most preferred location for pilgrimage No. of Respondents

Sabharimala 6

Guruvayoor 5

Varkala 2

Aranmula 1

Chottanikkara 1


Chart 5.16: Most preferred location for pilgrimage


INTERPRETATION

Most preferred location for the tourists in Kerala for pilgrimage is Shabharimala

followed by Guruvayoor. The other major locations in the order of preference

includes.Varkala,Aranmula,chottanikkara.

Number of respondents

Sabharimala

Guruvayoor

Varkala

Aranmula

Chottanikkara


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Table 5.17: Duration of visit during pilgrimage

Duration of visit for pilgrimage No. of Respondents

1 to 2 weeks 8

Less than a week 4

2 to 4 weeks 3


Chart 5.17: Duration of visit


INTERPRETATION

When it comes to pilgrimage the majority ie 53% of the respondents stays for 1 to 2

weeks.27% has a duration of less than a week. There are no respondents who has stayed

for more than a month for pilgrimage in Kerala.

Duration of visit during pilgrimage

1 to 2 weeks

less than a week

2 to 4 weeks


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Table 5.18: Preferred place of stay during pilgrimage

Preferred place to stay No. of Respondents

Hotel 10

Relatives 1

Others 4


Chart 5.18: Preferred place of stay during pilgrimage


INTERPRETATION

Majority of the pilgrims prefers to stay in a hotel. 6 % prefers other places of stay which

includes lodges. 27% Pilgrims prefer to stay with their relatives.

Preferred place to stay

Hotel

Relatives

Others


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Table 5.19: Mode of transport

Mode of transport No. of Respondents

Car 6

Train 7

Flight 2


Chart 5.19: Mode of transport


INTERPRETATION

47% of respondents prefer train while coming to the pilgrim centres in Kerala. Car is the

second most preferred mode of transport.2 of the respondents have come by flight to

Kerala as pilgrims.

Mode of transport

Car

Train

Flight


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Table 5.20: Amount spent on pilgrimage

Amount spent No. of Respondents

Below 1000 7

1000 to 3000 6

3000 to 6000 2


Chart 5.20: Amount spent on pilgrimage


INTERPRETATION

Majority of the pilgrims spend below 1000 a day.40% are willing to pay 1000 to 3000 a

day. When compared to other tourists pilgrims tend to spend less.

Amount spent

below 1000

1000 to 3000

3000 to 6000


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Table 5.21: Revisit Kerala for pilgrimage

Visit Again No. of Respondents

Yes 9

May be 6


Chart 5.21: Revisit Kerala for pilgrimage


INTERPRETATION

60% of the pilgrims have decided to revisit Kerala. There are no pilgrims who do

not wish to come back to Kerala.

Revisit Kerala for Pilgrimage

Yes

May be


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5.3 CROSS TABULATION

Male perception about the safety factor in Kerala Tourism

Table 5.2.2: Perception about safety for male respondents

Perception No. of Males

Excellent 29

Good 44

Average 10


Chart 5.2.2: Perception about safety for male respondents


INTERPRETATION

53% of the male tourists has a good perception about the safety factor in

Kerala tourism.There are also 35 % of the males who has found safety in

kerala as excellent.However 12% of them find it just satisfactory.

Percentage of Males

Excellent

Good

Average


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Female perception about the safety factor in Kerala Tourism

Table 5.2.3: Female perception on safety factor in Kerala

Perception No. of Females

Excellent 16

Good 14

Average 7

Bad 6


Chart 5.2.3: Female perception on safety factor in Kerala


INTERPRETATION

Unlike the male respondents only 33% of females finds safety factor in Kerala as good.

However 37 % finds it excellent. Out of the 43 female respondents 6 finds safety in

Kerala as bad.

Percentage of females

Excellent

Good

Average

Bad


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Foreigners perception about the safety factor in Kerala tourism

Table 5.2.4: Foreigners perception on safety in Kerala

Perception No. of Foreigners

Excellent 12

Good 16

Average 2


Chart 5.2.4: Foreigners perception on safety in Kerala


INTERPRETATION

40% of foreigners perceive Kerala as an excellent safe place to tour. Majority finds it

good ie 53 % of the foreign respondents find the safety in Kerala as good. There are no

foreign tourists who find Keralas safety as poor

Percentage of foreigners

Excellent

Good

Average


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Most preferred place of stay for Foreigners

Table 5.2.5: Most preferred place of stay for foreigners

Stay No. of Foreigners

Home stay 10

Resort 16

Hotel 4


Chart 5.2.5: Most preferred place of stay for foreigners


INTERPRETATION

Majority of the foreigners prefer to stay in resorts when they come to Kerala. The

main reason behind this is the ambience and hospitality the resorts offer them.

Foreigners also prefer homestay as they wanted to get homely food and a close

contact with the culture of Kerala.

Percentage of forigners preferring

Home stay

Resort

Hotel


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Most preferred place of stay for Males

Table 5.2.6: Preferred place of stay for male respondents

Stay No. of Males

Home stay 11

Resort 34

Hotel 34

Relative 4


Chart 5.2.6: Preferred place of stay for male respondents


INTERPRETATION

Majority of the males prefer to stay in a resort or a hotel. Only 5 % prefer to stay at their

relatives place.

Percentage of males preferring

Home stay

Resort

Hotel

Relative


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Most preferred place of stay for Females

Table 5.2.7: Preferred place of stay for female respondents

Stay No. of females

Home stay 11

Resort 13

Hotel 4

Relative 12


Chart 5.2.7: Preferred place of stay for female respondents


INTERPRETATION

Females prefer resorts as their most preferred place of stay when coming to Kerala.

However when compared to men, females also prefer home stays .30% of the total female

respondents like to stay with their relatives as they find it more safe.

Percentage of females preferring

Home stay

Resort

Hotel

Relative


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Perception of males towards Kerala as a tourist destination

Table 5.2.8: Perception of the respondents

Perception No. of Males

Excellent 17

Good 56

Average 9


Chart 5.2.8: Perception of the respondents


INTERPRETATION

Males perceive Kerala as a good tourist destination. When compared to females more

males find kerala as an excellent tourist destination.

Male perception about Kerala as a tourist

destination

Excellent

Good

Average


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Perception of Females towards Kerala as a tourist destination

Table 5.2.9: Perception of the female respondents

Perception No. of Females

Excellent 7

Good 10

Average 26


Chart 5.2.9: Perception of the female respondents


INTERPRETATION

Majority of females perceive Kerala as just an average tourist destination. This shows

majority of the females when compared to the males do not perceive Kerala as a tourist

destination.

Female perception about Kerala as a tourist

destination

Excellent

Good

Average


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Foreigners revisit to Kerala

Table 5.3.0: Foreigners revisit to Kerala

Revisit No. of Foreigners

Yes 18

May be 10

No 2


Chart 5.3.0: Foreigners revisit to Kerala


INTERPRETATION

Majority of the foreigners like to revisit Kerala. Only a negligible number of respondents

would not like to revisit Kerala.

Number of foreigners

Yes

May be

No


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CHAPTER VI

Findings

Conclusion

And Recommendations


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6.1 FINDINGS

1. Majority of the respondents are between the age group of 21 to 30. This age

group is followed by the age group of 31 to 40. Senior citizens constituted

only 9% of the total sample selected.

2. More than half of the respondents of the survey are males. The numbers of

females were 34% of the total sample which is 125.

3. Out of the sample selected almost half of the respondents are single. The

numbers of married are around 55. There is a group called others among the

respondents this group represents the individuals who are divorced or Stays

single for some reason.

4. 60 respondents fall in the category of income group less than 5 lakhs. Thus the

majority of the respondents have income less than 5 lakhs. Income group with

5 to 10 lakhs comes next ie around 24%.

5. Out of the 125 samples 40 respondents are employees of private firms. They

constitute 32% of the total sample. Students include 33% while retired

individuals constitute 9% of the total sample. Majority of the respondents were

students.

6. Majority of the respondents come to Kerala for leisure. The sample includes

15 individuals who came for both leisure and health reasons. The category

others explain the number of individuals who came for pilgrimage in Kerala.

However the individuals who came to Kerala for business purpose is just 7.

7. Majority of the individuals have come along with their friends. There were 48

individuals who came with their family members. Respondents had also come

in groups with the help of various tour operators.

8. 56 of the respondents duration of visit is less than a week. In the sample taken


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only 5 tourists has duration of more than a month. 25% of them stay for 2 to 4

weeks. Majority of them spend less than a week for their visit.

9. 68% of the tourists perceive Kerala to be a good tourist destination. 18%

perceives it as an excellent destination. Tourists who find Kerala as just an

average tourist destination is 14%. There is no respondent who finds Kerala as

a bad or poor tourist destination

10 .Most of them prefer to stay in a resort. This is because of the good ambience

and the hospitality. Resorts are followed by Hotels. Tourists prefer staying in

hotels because they get timely food and service. Certain tourists especially

foreigners prefer homestay to get a feel of the local cuisine and culture.

11. Majority of the respondents find Kerala safe. 36% finds it excellent. About 5

% thinks safety in Kerala is bad. However there are no tourists who think

safety in Kerala is poor.

12. 46 out of 125 respondents spent 1000 to 3000 in a day. Most of the domestic

tourists spent less than 1000. When compared to domestic tourists foreigners

spent more and majority of them fall in the category of spending 3000 to 6000.

13. Major mode of transport to Kerala is car. This shows the sample selected had

more of domestic tourists than the foreigners. Flight as a mode of transport is

selected by 34% of the respondents. Respondents falling in the category of 20

to 30 age group prefer bikes as mode of transport to various tourists spots in

Kerala.

14. 89 of the total respondents will visit Kerala again. However there are 31 who

are not sure about their revisit to Kerala. 5 of them have told they wont return

back to Kerala.

15. Most preferred location for the tourists in Kerala is Munnar followed by


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Wayanad.Equal number of respondents prefer kuttikanam and thekkady the

most ie 5 % of the total respondents. Other major preferred locations include

Ernakulam,kovalam,Alappuzha.

16. Most preferred location for the tourists in Kerala for pilgrimage is

Shabharimala followed by Guruvayoor. The other major locations in the order

of preference includes.Varkala,Aranmula,chottanikkara.

17. When it comes to pilgrimage the majority ie 53% of the respondents stays for

1 to 2 weeks.27% has a duration of less than a week. There are no respondents

who have stayed for more than a month for pilgrimage in Kerala.

18. Majority of the pilgrims prefers to stay in a hotel. 6 % prefers other places of

stay which includes lodges. 27% Pilgrims prefer to stay with their relatives.

19. 47% of respondents come in train while coming to the pilgrim centres in

Kerala. Car is the second mode of transport during pilgrimage. 2 of the

respondents have come by flight to Kerala as pilgrims.

20. Majority of the pilgrims spend below 1000 a day.40% are willing to pay 1000

to 3000 a day. When compared to other tourists pilgrims tend to spend less.

21. 60% of the pilgrims have decided to revisit Kerala. There are no pilgrims who

do not wish to come back to Kerala.

22. 53% of the male tourists has a good perception about the safety factor in

Kerala tourism. There are also 35 % of the males who has found safety in

Kerala as excellent. However 12% of them find it just satisfactory.

23. Unlike the male respondents only 33% of females finds safety factor in Kerala

as good. Out of the 43 female respondents 6 finds safety in Kerala bad.

24. 40% of foreigners perceive Kerala as an excellent safe place to tour. Majority

find it good ie 53 % of the foreign respondents find the safety in Kerala as


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good. There are no foreign tourists who find Keralas safety as poor.

25. Majority of the foreigners prefer to stay in resorts when they come to Kerala.

The main reason behind this is the ambience and hospitality the resorts offer

them. Foreigners also prefer homestay as they wanted to get homely food and

a close contact with the culture of Kerala.

26. Majority of the males prefer to stay in a resort or a hotel. Only 5 % prefer to

stay at their relatives place.

27. Females prefer resorts as their most preferred place of stay when coming to

Kerala. However when compared to men, females also prefer homestays .30%

of the total female respondents like to stay with their relatives as they find it

more safe.

28. Males perceive Kerala as a good tourist destination. When compared to

females more males find Kerala as an excellent tourist destination

29. Majority of females perceive Kerala as just an average tourist destination. This

shows majority of the females when compared to the males do not perceive

Kerala as a tourist destination.

30. Majority of the foreigners like to revisit Kerala. Only a negligible number of

respondents would not like to revisit Kerala.

31. It is found that there is no relationship between kindness of natives and

perception about Kerala as a tourist destination. The natives mentioned here

include both the local people and the tour operators.

32. After analysis it is found that there is a relationship between information

received and perception about Kerala as a tourist destination. The information

received about the destination before and after arrival has a great influence on

the perception about Kerala as a tourist destination.


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6.2 CONCLUSION

The purpose of this paper is to understand and identify the critical factors of

customer satisfaction. The paper also throws light on the various facts of Kerala

tourism like the most preferred accommodation, the reason for choice of the

particular place of stay etc. According to this paper the most favoured tourist

location in Kerala is Munnar followed by Wayanad.

This research studies the major aspects of the pilgrims travelling to Kerala. The

response received from the samples selected shows Shabharimala is the most

preferred location followed by Guruvayoor. The pilgrims coming to Kerala tends

to spend less than the other tourists who come for leisure.

Kerala is chosen as a tourist destination primarily because of the greenery and

climate. Food is another reason for choosing Kerala as a tourist destination.

The need and demand for local cuisine indirectly generates demand for the

homestays. Majority of the tourists wish to stay in a resort as they feel it would

provide better ambience for the tourists who prefer greenery and hospitality.

The safety factor in Kerala tourism is perceived to be high among the males

surveyed. However there are female respondents who perceive the safety factor

just an average. Female tourists prefer more to stay with their relatives than their

male counter parts. The main reason is that they feel safer with their relatives.

Regarding the various services like local traffic and parking space the tourists

seems to be quite unhappy. Especially the pilgrims are not satisfied with the

parking spaces in various pilgrim destinations.

Most of the tourists perceive Kerala as a good tourist destination and would like to

visit Kerala again. This perception about Kerala is strongly derived from the

information they receive about the destinations before and after coming to Kerala.


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Thus the paper establishes a relationship between the perception the tourists have

about Kerala and the information they receive on their chosen destination.

6.3 RECOMMENDATIONS

Tourist information provided to the travellers is of great importance. It directly

influences the perception of tourists about Kerala as a tourist destination.

Information provided thus should be with great care and caution. Authorities

should continue their efforts of branding Kerala.

The health tourism is another booming sector in which Kerala can surely reap

profits. The concept of Ayurveda will have to be promoted further. Availability of

tour operators is at its peak. However their knowledge on foreign languages can

be improved.

Kerala should also invest their efforts more in branding places and art forms like

koodyattom which is unique to Kerala culture.

According to this paper majority of the tourists has a time period of less than a

week spent in Kerala. Authorities and various tour operators should ensure

measures and facilities which would make them stay for longer periods in Kerala.

More focus should be made in aspects like local traffic and parking spaces. Even

though the tourists seem to be happy with the road links they are unhappy with the

parking spaces especially in pilgrim centres. Improving on this aspect can increase

the customer satisfaction among the tourists.


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10.Ramesh, u., & joseph, k. (2012). THE HOLISTIC APPROACH OF AYURVEDABASED WELLNESS TOURISM IN KERALA.International journal

11.Santhakumar, V. (2009). Entry fees as an instrument for environmental management:study of a wildlife park in Kerala, India. Tourism Economics,15(2), 453-466

12.Subramoniam, S., & Babu, S. R. (2010). Mass customising the tourism sector inKerala.International Journal of Leisure and Tourism Marketing, 1(4), 392-405

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976

(2011).Kerala Tourism Statistics 2011


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Annexure


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QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Name_______________________________________________________2. Sex

i) Male ( ) ii) Female ( )

3. Age

i) Below 20 ( ) ii) 21 to 30 ( )

iii) 31 to 40 ( ) iv) 41 to 60 ( )

v) 60 and above ( )

4. Marital status

i) Single ( ) ii) Married ( )

iii) Others ( )

5. Annual Income

i) Less than 5 lakhs ii) 510 lakhs

iii) 1015 lakhs iv) above 15 lakhs

6. Nationality

i) Indian ii)Foreigner

7. Educational qualification

i) Diploma ( )

ii) Graduate ( )

iii) PG ( )

iv) Others ( )

8. Occupation

i) Employee in private ii) Own business

iii) Student iv) Retired

v) Government employee


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9. Purpose of my visit?

i) For leisure ii) Study

iii) Research iv)Health reasons

v) Business vi) others

10. I am traveling with?

i) Family ( )

ii) Friends ( )

iii) Groups ( )

iv) Alone ( )

11. Duration of the visit?

i) Less than a week ii) 12 weeks

iii) 24 weeks iv) More than a month

12. The places that you have visited in Kerala__________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

13. Overall perception about Kerala as a tourist destination

i) Excellent

ii) Good

iii) Average

iv) Bad

v) Poor

14. Rank the places you have visited in Kerala in the order of

preference____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________


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15. I would like to stay at

i) Home stay

ii) Hotel

iii) Resort

iv) Relative

v) others

Reason_____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

16. I feel safe in Kerala as a tourist

i) Excellent

ii) Good

iii) Average

iv) Bad

v) Poor

17. Rate the local connectivity

i) Excellent ( )

ii) Good ( )

iii) Average ( )

iv) Bad ( )

v) Poor ( )

18. Maximum amount I am willing to spend a day per head

i) Below 1000 ii) 1000 to 3000

iii) 3000 to 6000 iv) above 6000

19. My mode of transport to Kerala?

i) Car ii)Train iii) Flight iv)Ship v) Bike


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20. I choose Kerala as my destination because of (1- Least Important,5 - Most Important)

Food (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Climate (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Beaches (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Greenery (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Spa (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Tour packages (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

Pilgrimage (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

21. How would you rate your level of satisfaction with regard to what Kerala has to offer?

1-very unsatisfied, 5-very satisfied

1. Climate

1 2 3 4 5

2. Kindness of the local people

1 2 3 4 5

3. Kindness of the tour operators

1 2 3 4 5

4. Availability of tour operators

1 2 3

Documents

Kerela Tourism