1. Abstract
Tourism and servicescape are usually figuring in the literature as mobile and seeing as a template for all guests. However, hospitality services-
capes seem to offer unequal opportunities for different group of people. Thus, micro-mobility of hotel guests might be impeded by poorly
designed physical surroundings and unskilled personnel. To elaborate more on how this thesis relates to mainstream tourism and servicescape
literature this research investigates how visually impaired persons (VIPs) practice hospitality servicescapes.
Introduction
Servicescapes are physical surroundings in which services are rendered (Bitner, 1992). Generalized aim is critically assess hospitality servicescapes
which seems to offer unequal opportunities for different groups of customers. Visually impaired travelers are taken as an example to illustrate
disadvantages of “mass-customized” servicescapes. Three stations of hospitality servicescapes (lobby, accommodation, and eating place) are
chosen as a places of research investigation.
The research project merges three brands of theories: theory on servicescape (Bitner, 1992), time-geography model (Hägerstrand, 1970), and
mobility tactics (De Certeau, 1984). The concept “mobility” is chosen as a systematized to link theory with empirical data or to connect idea
with facts (Adcock & Collier, 2001). Thereby, this study analyses micro-mobility of visually impaired travelers in hospitality servicescapes. The
focus is on VIPs’ mobility in servicescapes since this have been shown to be essential to service provision and to service consumers.
Method and Materials
To address the research goal, the data collection and processing has followed a qualitative methodology based on individual interviews, focus
group interviews, and go-along observations. The empirical focuses are on Synskadadens riksforbund Fritid (SRF) in Helsingborg, Sweden and
on travelers, members of Republican Library for Visually Impaired People, Kazakhstan.
Work as an escort person to SRF allowed me to interview and do observation activity ingeniously in the field and to get in formation in the
process. The field data was collected from November 2010 till August 2013. In the meantime I have conducted three focus group interviews
with eight, six, and three participants respectively, interviewed fourteen VIPs, developed four observation reports on traveling with VIPs as
escort person (Helsingor, Denmark, 1 day with five VIPs; Solhaga, Sweden, 3 days with thirteen VIPs; Schwerin, Germany, 4 days with six VIPs;
Almaty, Kazakhstan, 2 days with one VIP). In total I have interviewed or/and observed 56 blind and visually impaired travelers.
Research and Results
It was found that: (1) mobility of VIPs in hospitality servicescapes is more hindered than aided by three servicescape dimensions (design, ambient,
social). Mobility of VIPs hindered by servicescapes factors placed VIPs out of public (hospitality) space; (2) while barriers created by servicescapes
oppress VIPs, aids form loyal clients; (3) in hospitality servicescapes VIPs apply extra efforts and spend more time to get the same benefits as
sighted clients have. Though tourists activities are largely spatially unbound (Zillinger, 2007:9), spatial interactions between individuals and other
individuals, tools, and materials most often change trajectories in space and time coordinates. These forces VIPs resist inconvenient space by
applying different mobility tactics.
Hospitality servicescapes seen by visually impaired travelers
Alma Raissova | Department of Service Management, Lund University, Sweden | Alma.Raissova@ism.lu.se
Conclusion and Implications
The study makes couple major contributions. Its first major contribution lies on the significance of time and space dimensions in discussing
hospitality servicescapes. The second major contribution deals with the finding that, overall, visually impaired customers resist to the power
of hospitality servicescape by developing different mobility tactics. Customers may suffer or may enjoy by visiting hospitality servicescapes.
Nevertheless, acceptance behaviour of visually impaired guests is most often convoyed by resistance to the various hinders of servicescapes.
The findings of this research cast doubt the assumption that servicescapes are produced for all customers. Instead, the findings show that not
all customers are welcoming in the same manner by the hospitality environment. While one group of guests (sighted) experience supports
from the servicescapes, the other do not.
Acknowledgment
This paper prepared to be presented at 5th ATMC was improved with the support of ATMC scientific committee.
References
1. Adcock, R., & Collier, D. (2001). Measurement Validity: A Shared Standard for Qualitative and Quantitative Research American Political Science Review, 95(3), 529-546.
2. Bitner, M. J. (1992). The Impact of Physical Surroundings on Customers and Employees. The Journal of Marketing, 56(2), 57-71.
3. De Certeau, M. (1984). The Practice of Everyday Life. Berkeley: University of California Press.
4. Hägerstrand, T. (1970). What about people in regional science? Ninth European Congress of the Regional Science Association. Regional Science Association Papers, 24(1), 6-21.
5. Zillinger, M. (2007). Guided Tourism - the Role of Guidbooks in German Tourist Behaviour in Sweden: Umea Universitet.