Service quality improving effects and recreational benefits for sports tourism—A case study

Service quality is one of many crucial items for sport event participants. Using Sun Moon Lake Swimming Carnival Event as an example, this study measures the perception of service quality for various participant groups and their associated recreational benefits from the demand model. Three service quality clusters, interaction and information, physical facility improving, and program and outcome, were extracted. Later, the contingent behavior method was used to measure the hypothetical benefits from service quality improvements. This study’s findings discover that the amenity of Sun Moon Lake and its surroundings at current status is not sufficient to make participants come back. Findings show that an improvement in the service quality of sports program and the outcome will result in an NT$85.78 million consumer surplus gain, with the facility improvement producing a gain of NT$72.90 million arising simply from the event in each year. Therefore, recreation managers may find it justifiable to improve an event’s service quality in this regard.