Customer satisfaction in post-socialist Spas: a case study of Budapest, City of Spas
Melanie Smith, András Jancsik, László Puczkó
Abstract
This paper examines spa developments in post-socialist countries, especially the process of adapting facilities to attract and accommodate commercial (non-state funded) guests and international tourists. This includes the development of infrastructure, the upgrading and regeneration of facilities, the improvement of service quality and the enhancement of visitor experiences and customer satisfaction. The research in this paper draws on customer satisfaction and service quality theory from the hospitality sector in order to consider how far spas are meeting international standards and to make recommendations for future improvements. Online review data was analysed from one of the most popular spas in Budapest, Hungary to highlight issues relating to tourist satisfaction and experience. Despite considerable investment in the thermal bath buildings and facilities as part of a national programme of regeneration, several issues relating to service quality still need to be addressed. This represents a common challenge for the whole post-socialist region, so the work aims to identify future directions for spas in this region in their transition from domestic, therapeutic medical baths to international, wellness spas.