Service Expectations and Experiences of Visitors to a Provincial Nature Reserve in South Africa

The growth and expansion of tourism in South Africa has led to an increased need for tourist accommodation. The hospitality sector of tourism serves a diverse market of consumers, all with a range of expectations, preferences, needs and wants. The accommodation subsector of hospitality comprises of various options for tourists, and it is imperative that services at accommodation establishments are provided at a satisfactory level of quality. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the hospitality services provided at a provincial nature reserve in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal meet customer expectations. This descriptive investigation employed a confirmatory factor analysis that examined four dimensions by which visitors to the park evaluate their hospitality experience. The results indicate that the CFA appropriately measures the factors of service experience and significant gaps in hospitably service provision were detected. Recommendations are made to enhance service delivery which should contribute towards the overall sustainability of the reserve.