Meta-Analysis of the Relationship between Tour Guide Performance and Tourist Satisfaction: An International Literature Example

Abstract

Carrying out package group tours under the management of licensed tourist guides is a legal practice in our country as well as in some countries. Apart from legal obligation, licensed tourist guides are seen by the travel agency or tour operator together with other businesses in the sector as a factor that has no substitute for the smooth realization of the tour and tourist satisfaction. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between tour guide performance which is formed by the fulfillment of professional roles in tourist guiding and tourist satisfaction, by metaanalysis method. Within the scope of the research, nineteen effect values obtained from sixteen studies included in meta-analysis were used. The sample size of the articles evaluated within the scope of the study is over twenty thousand and all of them have been published in international journals. The analysis of the study was carried out with Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software. According to the effect size level obtained as a result of the meta-analysis, it was determined that the performance of tour guides has an excellent and significant effect size on the satisfaction of tourists (g = 1.53; p <0.05). It was concluded that the guide's professional knowledge, problem solving ability, communication and organizational skills, empathy, job attitudes and appearance are the most important factors affecting the guides' performance and tourist satisfaction.