Exploring Expectation-Perception Dynamics in Pilgrimage Service Quality: The Role of Demographic Moderators
Keywords:
Expectation-Disconfirmation Theory, Pilgrimage tourism, demography, service quality, PILQUALAbstract
This study investigates the service quality perceptions at the holy Jyotirlingas in India which in turn represents the overall experience of the pilgrims using PILQUAL (Singh and Bhuyan 2025). To overcome the poly-dimensionality of pilgrimage experiences, the Expectation Disconfirmation Theory (EDT) has been adapted in relation to service quality models like SERVQUAL. The data collected from 1,047 domestic pilgrims at seven Jyotirlingas was analysed by using EFA, CFA and hierarchical regression to test both direct and moderating effects of demographic variables. Results indicate a low level of support for EDT, which means that the expectation–perception mechanism might be influenced by pilgrim expectations and the spiritual motivations for pilgrimage. The study contributes to the field of religious tourism, and pilgrimage management with theoretical, methodological and practical inputs for enhancing pilgrim experiences.
References
Adams, J. S. (1965). Inequity In Social Exchange. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2(1), 267–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60108-2
Anderson, L., Ostrom, A. L., Corus, C., Fisk, R. P., Gallan, A. S., Giraldo, M., Mende, M., Mulder, M., Rayburn, S. W., Rosenbaum, M. S., Shirahada, K., & Williams, J. D. (2013). Transformative service research: An agenda for the future. Journal of Business Research, 66(8), 1203–1210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2012.08.013
Baker, D. A., & Crompton, J. L. (2000). Quality, satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Annals of Tourism Research, 27(3), 785–804. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0160-7383(99)00108-5
Boksberger, P. E., & Melsen, L. (2011). Perceived value: a critical examination of definitions, concepts and measures for the service industry. Journal of Services Marketing, 25(3), 229–240. https://doi.org/10.1108/08876041111129209
Bowen, J. T., & Shoemaker, S. (1998). Loyalty: A Strategic Commitment. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 39(1), 12–25. https://doi.org/10.1177/001088049803900104
Chang, J. C. (2008). Tourists’ Satisfaction Judgments: An Investigation of Emotion, Equity, and Attribution. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 32(1), 108–134. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348007309571
Collins-Kreiner, N. (2019). Pilgrimage tourism-past, present and future rejuvenation: a perspective article. Tourism Review, 75(1), 145–148. https://doi.org/10.1108/tr-04-2019-0130
Diener, E. (1984). Subjective well-being. Psychological Bulletin, 95(3), 542–575. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.95.3.542
Grönroos, C. (1984). A Service Quality Model and its Marketing Implications. European Journal of Marketing, 18(4), 36–44. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000004784
Hall, P. M. (1984). Theoretical Observations on Applied Behavioral Science. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 20(1), 57–57. https://doi.org/10.1177/002188638402000110
He, Y., & Song, H. (2008). A Mediation Model of Tourists’ Repurchase Intentions for Packaged Tour Services. Journal of Travel Research, 47(3), 317–331. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287508321206
Ji, C., Li, J., & Nie, Y. (2017). Effect of Past Experience on Perceived Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction: The Case of Chinese Casino Visitors. Journal of China Tourism Research, 13(1), 65–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/19388160.2017.1324334
Kuo, N.-T., Chang, K.-C., Cheng, Y.-S., & Lai, C.-H. (2013). How Service Quality Affects Customer Loyalty in the Travel Agency: The Effects of Customer Satisfaction, Service Recovery, and Perceived Value. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 18(7), 803–822. https://doi.org/10.1080/10941665.2012.708352
Kwok, S. Y., Jusoh, A., & Khalifah, Z. (2016). The influence of service quality on satisfaction: Does gender really matter? Intangible Capital, 12(2), 444. https://doi.org/10.3926/ic.673
Lichtenstein, D. R., Ridgway, N. M., & Netemeyer, R. G. (1993). Price Perceptions and Consumer Shopping Behavior: A Field Study. Journal of Marketing Research, 30(2), 234–245. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224379303000208
Luo, J. (Gemma), Wong, I. A., King, B., Liu, M. T., & Huang, G. (2019). Co-creation and co-destruction of service quality through customer-to-customer interactions. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 31(3), 1309–1329. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijchm-12-2017-0792
Mattila, A. S. (1999). The role of culture and purchase motivation in service encounter evaluations. Journal of Services Marketing, 13(4/5), 376–389. https://doi.org/10.1108/08876049910282655
Mattila, A. S. (2000). The Impact of Culture and Gender on Customer Evaluations of Service Encounters. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 24(2), 263–273. https://doi.org/10.1177/109634800002400209
Oliver, R. L. (1980). A Cognitive Model of the Antecedents and Consequences of Satisfaction Decisions. Journal of Marketing Research, 17(4), 460–469. JSTOR. https://doi.org/10.2307/3150499
Parasuraman, A, Zeithaml, , V. A, & Berry,. (1988a). SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, Vol. 64, Number 1, p. 12-40.
Pine, B. J., & Gilmore, J. H. (2013). The experience economy: past, present and future. Handbook on the Experience Economy, 21–44. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781781004227.00007
Rajaguru, R., & Hassanli, N. (2018). The role of trip purpose and hotel star rating on guests’ satisfaction and WOM. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 30(5), 2268–2286. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijchm-01-2017-0044
Sendhil Mullainathan, & Eldar Shafir. (2014). Scarcity : the true cost of not having enough. Penguin Books.
Sharpley, R., & Sundaram, P. (2005). Tourism: a sacred journey? The case of ashram tourism, India. International Journal of Tourism Research, 7(3), 161–171. https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.522
Singh, V., & Bhuyan, A. (2024). Tourist expectation and their perception towards Service Quality : The case of Baidyanath Dham Jyotirlinga, Deoghar. Journal of Tourism Insights, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.9707/2328-0824.1373
Singh, V., & Bhuyan, A. (2025). Evaluating service quality at pilgrimage sites: development and preliminary validation of PILQUAL scale. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Horizons, 1(4), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1108/jhth-04-2025-0059
Sirakaya, E., Petrick, J., & Choi, H.-S. (2004). The Role of Mood on Tourism Product Evaluations. Annals of Tourism Research, 31(3), 517–539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2004.01.009
Suki, N. M. (2014). Moderating Role of Gender in the Relationship between Hotel Service Quality Dimensions and Tourist Satisfaction. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 15(1), 44–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/1528008x.2014.855104
Swart, M. P., & Roodt, G. (2014). Market segmentation variables as moderators in the prediction of business tourist retention. Service Business, 9(3), 491–513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11628-014-0236-z
Tosun, C., Dedeoğlu, B. B., & Fyall, A. (2015). Destination service quality, affective image and revisit intention: The moderating role of past experience. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 4(4), 222–234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2015.08.002
Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases. Science, 185(4157), 1124–1131. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.185.4157.1124
Zeithaml, V. A., Berry, L. L., & Parasuraman, A. (1993). The Nature and Determinants of Customer Expectations of Service. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 21(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092070393211001
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Atna Journal of Tourism Studies
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
