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Adapting the TOURQUAL scale for accessible tourism: Assessing service quality for people with physical disabilities

Leticia Cynara Santos-Silva Orcid Logo, Ricardo Noboru Shimosakai Orcid Logo, Tiago Savi Mondo Orcid Logo, Erose Sthapit Orcid Logo, Brian Garrod Orcid Logo, J. Andres Coca-Stefaniak Orcid Logo

Strategic Business Research, Volume: 2, Issue: 1, Start page: 100062

Swansea University Author: Brian Garrod Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1016/j.sbr.2026.100062

Abstract

Traditional service-quality frameworks often fail to adequately capture the experiences of people with disabilities in tourism contexts. Although accessibility has been increasingly discussed in tourism research, limited guidance exists on how existing service-quality models can be meaningfully adap...

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Published in: Strategic Business Research
ISSN: 3051-0643
Published: Elsevier BV 2026
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71257
first_indexed 2026-01-15T18:40:14Z
last_indexed 2026-02-12T05:35:00Z
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This study explores how the TOURQUAL scale can be adapted to better reflect accessibility-related quality perceptions among tourists with physical disabilities in the Brazilian context. Using a qualitative approach, a focus group was conducted with six participants presenting different types of physical disability, enabling an in-depth examination of lived tourism experiences. Data were analysed using Bardin&#x2019;s content analysis and organised using the hierarchical model proposed by Philip and Hazlett, which classifies indicators into pivotal, core, and peripheral attributes. The findings highlight that accessibility-related service quality extends beyond physical infrastructure, encompassing attitudinal, communicational, technical, emotional, and relational dimensions, including indicators related to staff sensitivity and training, accuracy of accessibility information, autonomy-supportive service delivery, maintenance of accessible infrastructure, and trust in service provision. The hierarchical organisation of indicators provides a structured way to prioritise accessibility-related attributes based on their perceived relevance to autonomy, safety, and dignity in tourism experiences. Rather than proposing a universal protocol, this study offers a user-informed and context-sensitive framework that illustrates how service-quality models such as TOURQUAL can be adapted to incorporate accessibility considerations. 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spelling 2026-02-11T12:15:54.9757894 v2 71257 2026-01-15 Adapting the TOURQUAL scale for accessible tourism: Assessing service quality for people with physical disabilities 4f81981d78ed3082b232463da24d1bb9 0000-0002-5468-6816 Brian Garrod Brian Garrod true false 2026-01-15 CBAE Traditional service-quality frameworks often fail to adequately capture the experiences of people with disabilities in tourism contexts. Although accessibility has been increasingly discussed in tourism research, limited guidance exists on how existing service-quality models can be meaningfully adapted from the perspective of tourists with physical disabilities. This study explores how the TOURQUAL scale can be adapted to better reflect accessibility-related quality perceptions among tourists with physical disabilities in the Brazilian context. Using a qualitative approach, a focus group was conducted with six participants presenting different types of physical disability, enabling an in-depth examination of lived tourism experiences. Data were analysed using Bardin’s content analysis and organised using the hierarchical model proposed by Philip and Hazlett, which classifies indicators into pivotal, core, and peripheral attributes. The findings highlight that accessibility-related service quality extends beyond physical infrastructure, encompassing attitudinal, communicational, technical, emotional, and relational dimensions, including indicators related to staff sensitivity and training, accuracy of accessibility information, autonomy-supportive service delivery, maintenance of accessible infrastructure, and trust in service provision. The hierarchical organisation of indicators provides a structured way to prioritise accessibility-related attributes based on their perceived relevance to autonomy, safety, and dignity in tourism experiences. Rather than proposing a universal protocol, this study offers a user-informed and context-sensitive framework that illustrates how service-quality models such as TOURQUAL can be adapted to incorporate accessibility considerations. The results contribute conceptually and methodologically to the literature on accessible tourism, as well as providing practical insights for tourism managers seeking to improve inclusive service quality. Journal Article Strategic Business Research 2 1 100062 Elsevier BV 3051-0643 TOURQUAL; Service quality; Accessibility; Physical disabilities; Content analysis; Hierarchical model 1 12 2026 2026-12-01 10.1016/j.sbr.2026.100062 COLLEGE NANME Management School COLLEGE CODE CBAE Swansea University 2026-02-11T12:15:54.9757894 2026-01-15T18:35:02.0056604 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Management - Business Management Leticia Cynara Santos-Silva 0000-0002-8392-5011 1 Ricardo Noboru Shimosakai 0009-0006-5208-6696 2 Tiago Savi Mondo 0000-0002-8929-1339 3 Erose Sthapit 0000-0002-1650-3900 4 Brian Garrod 0000-0002-5468-6816 5 J. Andres Coca-Stefaniak 0000-0001-5711-519x 6 71257__36223__aab4b10275d949908596f834010edf30.pdf 71257.AAM.pdf 2026-02-11T12:12:23.9666624 Output 470636 application/pdf Version of Record true Author accepted manuscript document released under the terms of a Creative Commons CC-BY licence using the Swansea University Research Publications Policy (rights retention). true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en
title Adapting the TOURQUAL scale for accessible tourism: Assessing service quality for people with physical disabilities
spellingShingle Adapting the TOURQUAL scale for accessible tourism: Assessing service quality for people with physical disabilities
Brian Garrod
title_short Adapting the TOURQUAL scale for accessible tourism: Assessing service quality for people with physical disabilities
title_full Adapting the TOURQUAL scale for accessible tourism: Assessing service quality for people with physical disabilities
title_fullStr Adapting the TOURQUAL scale for accessible tourism: Assessing service quality for people with physical disabilities
title_full_unstemmed Adapting the TOURQUAL scale for accessible tourism: Assessing service quality for people with physical disabilities
title_sort Adapting the TOURQUAL scale for accessible tourism: Assessing service quality for people with physical disabilities
author_id_str_mv 4f81981d78ed3082b232463da24d1bb9
author_id_fullname_str_mv 4f81981d78ed3082b232463da24d1bb9_***_Brian Garrod
author Brian Garrod
author2 Leticia Cynara Santos-Silva
Ricardo Noboru Shimosakai
Tiago Savi Mondo
Erose Sthapit
Brian Garrod
J. Andres Coca-Stefaniak
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container_title Strategic Business Research
container_volume 2
container_issue 1
container_start_page 100062
publishDate 2026
institution Swansea University
issn 3051-0643
doi_str_mv 10.1016/j.sbr.2026.100062
publisher Elsevier BV
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
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department_str School of Management - Business Management{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Management - Business Management
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description Traditional service-quality frameworks often fail to adequately capture the experiences of people with disabilities in tourism contexts. Although accessibility has been increasingly discussed in tourism research, limited guidance exists on how existing service-quality models can be meaningfully adapted from the perspective of tourists with physical disabilities. This study explores how the TOURQUAL scale can be adapted to better reflect accessibility-related quality perceptions among tourists with physical disabilities in the Brazilian context. Using a qualitative approach, a focus group was conducted with six participants presenting different types of physical disability, enabling an in-depth examination of lived tourism experiences. Data were analysed using Bardin’s content analysis and organised using the hierarchical model proposed by Philip and Hazlett, which classifies indicators into pivotal, core, and peripheral attributes. The findings highlight that accessibility-related service quality extends beyond physical infrastructure, encompassing attitudinal, communicational, technical, emotional, and relational dimensions, including indicators related to staff sensitivity and training, accuracy of accessibility information, autonomy-supportive service delivery, maintenance of accessible infrastructure, and trust in service provision. The hierarchical organisation of indicators provides a structured way to prioritise accessibility-related attributes based on their perceived relevance to autonomy, safety, and dignity in tourism experiences. Rather than proposing a universal protocol, this study offers a user-informed and context-sensitive framework that illustrates how service-quality models such as TOURQUAL can be adapted to incorporate accessibility considerations. The results contribute conceptually and methodologically to the literature on accessible tourism, as well as providing practical insights for tourism managers seeking to improve inclusive service quality.
published_date 2026-12-01T05:34:51Z
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