Evaluating the visitor services program

In evaluating the visitor services program, there are two perspectives to consider:

The first perspective is an ongoing activity, a process, a measuring system. To make the system operate smoothly, it must have rather subjective standards in terms of "good", "bad", or "needs improvement". Here, the person making the evaluation simply prepares a complete checklist on which he rates the various qualities that are important to having an effective system. The more subjectivity, however, the more disagreement there will be about accuracy.

Another similar method is to establish a rating scale ranging from "very good" through "very bad", on which persons doing the evaluation can each offer their own subjective ratings, and then discuss or average them to arrive at a specific rating.

Ultimately, however, in any monitoring system, the one(s) doing the monitoring is searching for details, and with this type of system, there is continuous and detailed input that inevitably leads to an improved output. If it is a good system and if it has the continuous attention of key service program personnel, it will yield a smoothly functioning and polished visitor services program.

Analyzing and evaluating visitor satisfaction in terms of visitor complaints and preferences is a more objective measurement approach and allows the tourism organization to focus on major and specific problem areas; to identify new attractions and promotional opportunities; to recognize trends in community tourism; and to study tourism's impact on the community.

Generally, evaluation procedures rely on surveys or observations. Whatever procedure is used, the data or information on the situation, program or service must be as objective as possible, must be verifiable, must be usable in the decision process, and have some degree of predictability as to decision outcome and/or results expected.

For example, using observational procedures, a person or team of evaluators may observe tourists enjoying themselves on the ski slopes of Aspen, Colorado in the United States. They observe what tourists do when they are not skiing. They observe how tourists relate to each other. They observe what tourists are purchasing. They observe the lift operation to see how well it is functioning. They observe access routes, traffic patterns, accidents — everything literally that may affect tourist satisfaction.

The scene is played and repeated daily, and after numerous observations, they are able to arrive at general measurable conclusions on skier behavior patterns, adequacy of service facilities, and additional opportunities for improvement of skier services.

In evaluating visitor satisfaction, one would classify and analyze the types of complaints received, or one could ask tourists a list of questions that develop answers from which conclusions can be drawn.

The steps involved in designing a survey of visitor satisfaction follow:

Probably the most important point to be made is that evaluations should be performed repeatedly to offer continuity of information. Providing reliable data over a period of time allows comparisons with previous evaluations and makes the evaluation process a continuous one.

Remember too, that as you are evaluating visitors services, the visitors themselves are doing their own evaluating based on how they perceive your community and its attractions, your approach to tourism development, the manner in which you manage and provide service for visitors, and the satisfactions they have received during their visit.

Watch them, listen to them, and respond to what they want and like. They will talk to others about your community, and what they tell others will depend upon how well the visitor services program operates. Make it a good one!

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